The Middle East is rapidly rising as a significant global player, dominating several industries, like oil and natural gas. With the rise of the Arab world, the Arabic language too is fast becoming a major global language. With over 420 million speakers, the language has spread across the Middle East, Africa, West Asia, Europe, and North America. However, did you know that apart from diverse cultural flavors and historical significance, the Arabic language has several variations? Among these, Modern Standard Arabic has been touted as a unifying language, bridging communication gaps between the diverse Middle East and the rest of the world.
Although Modern Standard Arabic is widely taught in school, it somewhat varies from the rest of the regionally spoken dialects.
Some popular Arabic dialects are:
- Maghrebi Arabic: Spoken in North African countries, like Morocco and Algeria, and heavily influenced by French and Spanish.
- Levantine Arabic: Spoken in the Western Arab world, in countries like Syria and Jordan. It carries a fluid and musical intonation.
- Egyptian Arabic: Primarily spoken in Egypt but widely understood in other parts due to the heavy Egyptian cultural influence.
- Gulf Arabic: Spoken primarily in Gulf countries, like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. It has a resemblance to several other dialects but holds several linguistic features of classical or Qur’anic Arabic.
In this blog, we will explore the Modern Standard Arabic language and its various uses in the 21st century.
Understanding Modern Standard Arabic and Its Origins?
Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), also known as al-fuṣḥā (الفصحى), as the name suggests, is the formal mode of writing and communicating in several countries of the Middle East. Over the years, countries of the Middle East have become important geopolitical players, and MSA has served as a vital common language in several industries, ranging from legal to e-commerce.
MSA originated in the late 19th century against the diminishing Ottoman Empire. This era, known as the Nahda or Arab Awakening, witnessed waves of cultural movements aimed at rejecting Westernization and modernizing Arabic while keeping its cultural roots intact.
The primary functions of the MSA are:
- To evolve the language by integrating concepts of science, technology, and modern politics.
- To create a unified cultural identity across the flourishing Arab world.
- To make a common language used in education, media, and government communications.
Today, MSA is the official language of all 22 Arab League countries, which include Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman, Yemen, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, UAE, etc. Additionally, the language is also recognized as one of the six official languages of the United Nations (UN).
Modern Standard Arabic vs. Classical Arabic
To truly understand the literary elements of the Arabic language, it is essential to be aware of the differences between MSA and its predecessor, Classical Arabic (Quranic Arabic).
| Linguistic Elements | Modern Standard Arabic | Classical Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary | Contains modern terms, such as the Internet, mobile phones, and AI. | Contains terms from the classical and ancient era of Islamic ideologies. |
| Grammar | It has a simpler approach to writing and sentence structures. | It has a complicated writing system and sentence structures. |
| Context | Used in formal communications for sectors like legal, media, and government. | Used in religious texts and scriptures like the Qur’an, Tawrat, Zabur, and Injil. |
A linguistic agency that provides Arabic language translations understands the differences between both variations and creates accurate and resonant results.
If you are wondering how Arabic language translations influence the lives of many, check out this blog: Know the Importance of Arabic Language Translation in the Lives of Many Worldwide!
Role of Modern Standard Arabic in the 21st century
Modern Standard Arabic plays a significant role in communication in several sectors. Some of these sectors are:
Media
Across the Arab world, several popular news outlets like Al Jazeera, BBC Arabic, and Al Arabiya conduct their journalistic duties in the Modern Standard Arabic language.
Other documents and communications in the media sector that use MSA are:
- News Articles and Reportage
- Press Releases
- Interviews and Transcripts
- Media Marketing and Digital Content
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Education and E-learning
The Arab world has evolved and modernized its learning institutions over time. This includes adopting textbooks with modern scientific concepts and establishing universities offering advanced global courses. The Arab world has also started to utilize e-learning to its full potential, giving rise to some companies like Edraak, Rawaq, Almentor, and Capytech.
MSA has played a vital role in this evolution. Some important educational and e-learning materials that use MSA are:
- Textbooks
- Handouts
- Library resources
- E-learning webinars
- Interactive Modules
Legal and Government
As mentioned earlier, MSA is the official language in several Arab countries. This makes it necessary for their government to carry out communication in the MSA language.
Some of these official documents are:
- Government Press Releases
- Policy Update Notification
- Parliamentary Transcript
- Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates
- Constitutions
- Identity Licenses
- Court Orders, Wills, Testimonies
International Diplomacy
The Arab World is host to several geopolitical happenings. To maintain and uphold true humanitarian values, these countries have established several diplomatic channels with each other. However, to avoid miscommunications, these diplomatic talks happen in Modern Standard Arabic. Other foreign countries, such as the U.S., France, and the U.K., employ the services of professional translators to convert their international documents into accurate MSA language.
Some of these documents are:
- Treaties, Accords, Conventions
- Letters of Credence
- Diplomatic Debate Transcripts
- International Agreements
For instance, the UAE Declaration of Arabic Language, a diplomatic convention held in December 2021, maintained all communication in the Modern Standard Arabic language. These included press releases, declaration documents, memoranda of understanding (MoU), keynote speeches, and commitment pledges—all translated into accurate MSA for mutual and unified clarity.
Professional Arabic Linguistic Support
It’s safe to say that Modern Standard Arabic is a modern way of unifying the Middle East, be it through language or culture. However, for businesses aiming to expand into this rich and diverse region, hiring professional Arabic language translation services is vital.
Somya Translators, a leading ISO 17100:2015 certified translation service, can be the ideal solution for professional and high-quality Arabic linguistic support.
We diversify our services into all regional variations of the Arabic language and provide resonant and top-tier results using our skilled native linguists.
Our Arabic language services include:
- Document Translation
- DTP Service
- Audio-Video Translation
- Subtitling, Voiceover, and Dubbing
- Transcription
- Localization
- And much more.
So, if you want your content to reflect fluent and precise Arabic, reach out to us, and together we can enter the Arab markets effortlessly.