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Originally posted by Seema
Arabic is actually supposed 2 b the hardest language I think or is it Latin?I've been trying 2 learn Bangla from those Teach yourself Bengali books and I think it's ok.
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Assalamu alaikum!!
Arabic caligraphy is considered one of the universal and fine arts. It embodies the language of one of the world's greatest civilisations and religions. It is hallowed as the vehicle of God's revelation in the Quran, whose numerous and different manuscripts are taken as masterpieces of art.
All letters in Arabic are consonants. Consonants cannot achieve a full sound without vowels.
Whereas 'B' in English for example achieves different sounds with different vowels e.g. ba, bi, bu, b(unvowelled); sounds occuring with vowels a, i, u. Also occurs by absence of vowel as the sound in the stop sounds B of the word rib.
The Arabic alphabet consists of 28 consonants and no vowels to achieve the same sounds which occur in english letters. Thus, these vowels in arabic are represented by signs written above or below the consonant (harakat - vowel signs)
The basic vowel signs are 4 short vowels, from which 9 other vowels are derived (4 = 9 = 13). This means that
every leter in the Arabic alphabet could be pronounced with 13 different sounds. Also means that the alphabet with its 28 consonants multiplies up to 28 x 13 = 362 different sounds!!
A paradoxial difficulty cos Arabic speakers hardly use these vowels at the end of the words in their daily conversation or use the signs in their correspondence!! 
Books, printings and other mass media never use these vowel signs excepton very rare occasions. Used only in teaching beginers and in important religious and literary texts. They are very useful for scholars and grammarians who deal with classical Arabic!
The vowels signs are particularly in the preliminary stages of teaching beginners as they are the foundation of writing and reading rules. Once getting used to the language you can dispense with the vowel signs!!
The linguistic authorities of the past have left clear advice for the Arabic speaking world; advice is to avoid all the final vowel signs. In their invaluable advice - sakkin taslam (literally translated means - unvowel (the endings), deliver yourself of the error)
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Take care of consonants and the vowels will take care of themselves!!
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I dont know about other languages being harder than English or Bangla tho!!
[Edited by Pheonix on 27th November 2001 at 03:03]