Egyptian Arabic, or Egyptian Colloquial Arabic, is the national language of Egypt. It also serves as a second language in many countries of the Middle East.
Prior to the Arab conquest of Egypt in the 7th century AD, the Egyptians spoke Coptic, a later phase of ancient Egyptian. Following the Arab conquest, there was a prolonged period when both Coptic and Arabic were spoken in Egypt. Egyptian Arabic, as distinct from Classical Arabic and the variety spoken by the Arab invaders, is thought to have developed in the first Islamic capital of Egypt, that is now part of Cairo, the capital of present-day Egypt. With increased Islamization and Arabization of the country, Egyptian Arabic slowly replaced Coptic. However, there is evidence that Coptic Egyptian continued to be spoken until the 17th century AD. Coptic is still the liturgical language of the Egyptian Coptic Church.
Prior to the Arab conquest of Egypt in the 7th century AD, the Egyptians spoke Coptic, a later phase of ancient Egyptian. Following the Arab conquest, there was a prolonged period when both Coptic and Arabic were spoken in Egypt. Egyptian Arabic, as distinct from Classical Arabic and the variety spoken by the Arab invaders, is thought to have developed in the first Islamic capital of Egypt, that is now part of Cairo, the capital of present-day Egypt. With increased Islamization and Arabization of the country, Egyptian Arabic slowly replaced Coptic. However, there is evidence that Coptic Egyptian continued to be spoken until the 17th century AD. Coptic is still the liturgical language of the Egyptian Coptic Church.
A continuum of varieties of Arabic is spoken by more than 77 million Egyptians in Egypt as well as by immigrant Egyptian communities in the Middle East, Europe, North America, Australia and South East Asia. Accents of all regions of Egypt have been increasingly adapting idioms. This has accelerated with the proliferation of education and central, government-controlled radio and TV during the past 30 years.
Among the spoken varieties of Arabic, Egyptian Cairene is the only one to have become a lingua franca in other parts of the Arabic-speaking world, in addition to within Egypt, for two main reasons :the proliferation and popularity of Egyptian films and other media in the region since the early 20th century; and the great number of Egyptian teachers and professors who were instrumental in setting up the education systems of various countries in the Arabian Peninsula and who also taught there and in other countries such as Algeria and Libya.
In Yemen, many Yemenites have adapted their everyday speech to Egyptian Arabic by borrowing Egyptian words (such as kowayyes 'well, good') and occasionally Egyptian morphology. Similar occurrences to varying degrees can be found in elsewhere in Arabia, Sudan, the Levant (particularly Palestine) and in Libya. This trend may now be shifting with the recent ascendancy of Lebanese media in the region, though many Lebanese artists choose to sing in Egyptian as well as Lebanese.
Although Egyptian Arabic is for the most part a spoken dialect, it is also used in vernacular literature, including novels, plays, and poems, as popular media, such as in comics, advertising, some newspapers, and in transcriptions of popular songs. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is used In most other written media and in TV broadcasts. MSA is spoken on all formal occasions and for all formal purposes.
Egyptian Arabic is widely understood throughout the Arab world because Egypt has been a dominant force in film and in the media. Egypt developed the first Arab-speaking local film industry, and Egyptian films are widely distributed throughout the Arab world. The Egyptian film industry has created some 3,000 full-length films since 1924 and has earned the name of 'Hollywood on the Nile.' As a result, Egyptian Arabic is usually chosen as the spoken dialect taught to students of Arabic as a foreign language.
Egyptian Arabic is widely understood throughout the Arab world because Egypt has been a dominant force in film and in the media. Egypt developed the first Arab-speaking local film industry, and Egyptian films are widely distributed throughout the Arab world. The Egyptian film industry has created some 3,000 full-length films since 1924 and has earned the name of 'Hollywood on the Nile.' As a result, Egyptian Arabic is usually chosen as the spoken dialect taught to students of Arabic as a foreign language.
More readings:
No comments:
Post a Comment