World Arabic Language Day marked with calls for its preservation and promotion

AMMAN — The Jordan Academy of Arabic celebrated the World Arabic Language Day on Monday in an event that brought together academicians and students involved in the preservation and promotion of the language. 

Every year on December 18, Arabic is celebrated worldwide as a medium for scientific and cultural progress. The day was established by UNESCO in 2010 to commemorate the recognition of Arabic as an official and working language of the UN on December 18, 1973. 

 “The Arabic language has given rise to a fascinating aesthetic and it gives access to an incredible variety of identities and beliefs and its history reveals the richness of its links with other languages,” said Audrey Azoulay, director general of UNESCO, in a statement issued on the occasion.  

“This is our national language, it represents our identity,” Eid Dahiyat, a senior member of the academy, told The Jordan Times. 

However, academicians are worried about the status of Arabic and the negative influence of foreign languages as well as the new phenomenon of "Arabizi" — the jargon that young people use to communicate online by mixing numbers and letters. 

“We are deeply concerned about the status of Arabic in Arab countries. Unfortunately, people tend to speak in English, French or other languages, and forget their own,” stressed Dahiyat. 

During the event, discussions were held over topics such as "Arabisation", which means the adoption of concepts from other languages and their translation into Arabic. 

“The Arabic language was neglected and did not develop like other languages and still faces problems related to syntax and grammar that need to be solved, especially for teaching purposes,” explained the academician. 

The event also highlighted the need to protect the language and the initiatives that the Jordan Academy of Arabic is carrying out. Among them feature the adaptation of the language to the requirements of modern science and art as well as the current knowledge society, the development of scientific terminology and its standardisation as well as the revival of Arab and Islamic heritage. 

“Protecting the Arabic language needs a political decision,” said Dahiyat, who believes that teachers and professors should lecture in proper Arabic as a way to preserve it. 

During the celebration, the academy honoured the best initiatives and campaigns carried out in the Kingdom to protect Arabic. 

One of the awardees was the Aber Sabeel (Wayfarer) initiative, carried out by a group of students from the Hashemite University lead by Professor Raida Akuzhia. 

“We encourage people to read and use the Arabic language in every aspect of their life,” Mohannad Jaber, a member of the team, told The Jordan Times. 

Jaber explained that they will use the JD500 cash award to expand the teaching of and raise awareness about the language and culture, encouraging its study by new generations.

“We have a huge responsibility on our shoulders,” said Dahiyat, adding that the Arabic language remains stagnant and with many problems that need to be solved. “There is a challenge and we should live up to it,” said the academician. 

Arabic is the fifth most spoken language in the world with 422 million speakers, according to the United Nations. With over 290 million native speakers and 132 million as second language speakers, it is also the language for over 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide.