Image by MaryamEd
Arabic changed my life. It taught me the importance of truly devoting yourself to what’s necessary, since time is limited but the desire to develop and be happy is not.
In my opinion, there are at least five reasons for studying Arabic:
1. It develops dynamic thinking:
Arabic is a language worlds away from Italian, with an extremely rich lexicon based on a root system. In a nutshell, each word derives from three or, rarely, four consonants that give it its primary meaning and change its structure according to specific patterns. This way, even if you don’t know a word you can sometimes easily work out its meaning. This is just a small example of how studying Arabic stimulates dynamic thinking, which is fundamental for achieving goals and adapting to the unexpected.
2. It improves logical thinking skills:
The structure of Arabic follows a precise logical framework. In fact, in most cases memory isn’t needed! In my teaching method, I always try to help students understand the deep logic behind every grammar rule, rather than forcing them to memorise. Memory can escape us, whereas logic is always within reach if you learn how to reason in the right way. Logical intelligence is the one that helps us solve everyday problems in our professional and private lives.
3. It teaches patience:
‘Sabr’, صبر, or patience, is the first word I teach my students. Even before learning how to say ‘Hi’, you need to know that to learn Arabic you need to develop patience. Learning Arabic, it takes a long time to see results and we often find ourselves having to reckon with our Latin or Germanic mentality, which has trouble grasping the Semitic one. Arabic helps us to wait with joy, to persevere, smile at our limitations, get past mistakes. It teaches us patience, the fundamental ingredient for a tranquil life.
4. It helps us to rediscover our Mediterranean roots:
Living in Italy and studying Arabic means rediscovering a forgotten wonder. Since the Middle Ages, Italian history has been intertwined with the Arab world, which has left us an immense heritage. In Italy we are culturally much closer to Tunisia than to Germany. Studying Arabic means looking more closely at our roots on the other shore of the Mediterranean, to increase our self-knowledge.
5. It helps us to discover a new way of relating to ourselves and others:
Arabic is a language that does not put distance between people. You call even people you don’t know ‘brother’ and ‘sister’. There is no formal form, like ‘Lei’ in Italian, and while there are other courtesy formulas, they are rarely used. In Arabic, people are all on the same level and closely connected. Speaking Arabic helps us to discover hidden aspects of our personality, giving us a new way of immersing ourselves in the world and relating to others.
These are just five of the reasons that kept me motivated. Reasons that are even more valuable than the work opportunities opened up by knowing this language. Over the years, I’ve found that putting personal development first is the key to making things click in every other area of life.
