Arabic Language

Arabic is one of the major languages of the world, being the mother tongue of 230 million people throughout the Middle East and North Africa. It is also understood or spoken in varying degrees by Moslems all over the world because it is the language of the Islamic holy book, the Quran.

Spoken Arabic varies from country to country but there are standard written forms understandable by all speakers of Arabic. These include Classical Arabic, the language of the Quran, and Modern Standard Arabic used in modern Arabic publications.

Arabic is a Semitic language closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. Since 1974, Arabic has been one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

It has its own alphabet which dates from around 500 AD. The distinctive cursive script consists of 28 letters, which are all consonants. Vowel sounds can be indicated using diacritic marks above or below the letters though they are usually omitted except in elementary school books and in the Quran. The Arabic language, like all Semitic languages, is written from right to left on the page (the opposite way to English).

English words of Arabic origin include: algebra, alcohol, alcove, albatross, harem, giraffe, cotton, amber, mattress, tariff, magazine, arsenal, syrup and artichoke.

Arabic Translations

Because Arabic is spoken and understood by people from a large number of countries, it has always been one of the most commonly requested languages for translation projects and we have translated all kinds of documents to and from Arabic including:

• Birth, marriage and death certificates
• Educational qualifications and degrees
• Business correspondence
• Sales literature, product lists and legal contracts
• Information leaflets and posters
• Websites

If you would like further information about Arabic translations or would like to discuss your requirements with us, please contact us.