The ARABIC Language:
Today Arabic is spoken throughout the Arabian Peninsula and also in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Mauritania, and Chad. It is the mother tongue of over 180 million people in Africa and Asia. In addition, Arabic plays an important part in the lives of all Muslims, for it is the sacred language of Islam and its holy book the Qur'an.

The Arabic language can be characterized as having one standard, formal, written form that is used and understood all over the Arab world. However, in its spoken form, it is represented by many regional, generally mutually intelligible dialects. The standard form (called Classical--or Literary--Arabic) is used mainly for writing, but is also used orally in highly formal situations (such as, in written media and books, and in the spoken media, higher education, religious sermons, and courts of law).

The basic difference between the formal language and the dialects is that the latter are used in everyday oral interaction, and reflect the popular spoken language of specific geographical regions. The differences in the dialects spoken in various Arabic-speaking countries or regions is similar to the differences between English-speaking countries and regions. Pronounciations (accents) differ, such as the accent of a person from New York compared to someone from the Deep South (in the United States). Minor differences in vocabulary are also found: a "drinking fountain" in Arizona, is called a "bubbler" in Wisconsin, or a "soft drink" in one region, is called a "soda" in another area.

The differences in English are even more distinct between North Americans and Britons, or Britons and Australians. Yet all are native speakers of English--we all can communicate with spoken English, read the same newspapers, and watch the same television programs, essentially without difficulty.

The communication skills learned in either the Pimsleur Eastern Arabic course or the Pimsleur Egyptian Arabic course, may be used successfully with any other speaker of the Arabic language.

Eastern Arabic is the dialect spoken in: Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine. Eastern Arabic is also very well understood in the eastern and southeastern parts of the Arab world: Arabia, the gulf region and Iraq due to the fact that millions of Syrians, Palestinians, Jordanians, and Lebanese have worked and are working there. Additionally, there is considerable intermarriage among these groups. Eastern Arabic, although a general term, is based on the dialect of Damascus, which is the largest city in the area (with more than five million people). Moreover, it has been the center of power, culture, and education over many centuries. Individuals learning this dialect will have no trouble understanding neighboring dialects nor making themselves understood.

Egyptian Arabic is mainly spoken in: Egypt. Egyptian Arabic has also gained a high degree of acceptance throughout the Arabic-speaking world because of its use in films. The Cairene dialect of Egyptian Arabic is the variety spoken in the Pimsleur Egyptian Arabic course. It is the standard for spoken Egyptian and the people are extremely proud of it.

The Linguaphone Method:
The Linguaphone Method for language learning is the most natural and effective way to learn a new language.  Our method is based on two simple principles:

•  You learn faster when you enjoy what you are doing.
• You make greater progress if the language learning is useful and presented in a familiar context.

Speaking a language is an active skill--something you learn by doing, not just studying.  This is the practical approach to language learning that Linguaphone follows.  You start speaking your new language during the very first lesson.   The courses begin simply, building your confidence session by session.  Soon after, longer sentences are introduced to enable the expression of more detailed and complex thoughts.  But the course always concentrates on useful, authentic everyday words and situations.  The result is that after completing a Linguaphone course, you will have a thorough understanding of the language and be able to converse with and understand real people speaking the language. The study sequence, LISTEN, UNDERSTAND, and SPEAK, used in the Linguaphone courses is fundamental to the Linguaphone method of language learning. To learn more, click here.

Contains:

• 10 CDs
• Handbook
• Textbook
• Translation Book
• Alphabet Book
• Written Exercise Book
• Oral Exercise Book
• Study Guide

A complete language course, aimed at beginners who want to learn to read, write and speak their chosen language.

• Speak, read and write your chosen language to High School Diploma level.
• Master over 2,000 words of practical, everyday vocabulary.
• Perfect your accent by listening to native speakers.
• Learn fast with structured language tuition and clear, easy-to-follow guidance.

The Linguaphone Arabic Complete course uses our tried and tested 'listen, understand, speak' learning method to give you the confidence to use your new language. Throughout the CDs, course books and study guides, complete explanations and regular exercises give you the very best chance of learning all the language you'll need. Specifically designed for use at home, these self-study courses have helped millions of satisfied customers gain a strong grasp in our broad range of languages.

The Linguaphone Arabic Complete Course is perfect if you want to reach a reasonably high level of ability. Whether that is because you are working abroad, studying for an exam or wanting to refresh your skills from previous study.

This course and others in the Complete range are the most widely used of all the Linguaphone courses as they start from scratch and yet provide the learner with a confident and competent understanding of a new language.

Since the Complete course gives you more chance to speak the language, you will benefit from improvements to your fluency, pronunciation and confidence.

CDs
Recordings of native speakers ensure a good accent

Handbook
The Handbook is your tutor. Written in your own language, it provides you with all the necessary language guidance and explanations. It also includes a list of vocabulary and covers all the grammatical points as new words and phrases are introduced in the recordings.

Textbook
The Textbook is a printed and illustrated transcription of the CD recordings in the Arabic script. This means that you can follow the text while listening to the CDs and so become familiar with the spelling and structure of the new language.

Written Exercise Book
The Exercise Book allows you to practice what you've learned in Arabic script.

Oral Exercise Book
Spoken practice and exercises (in Arabic script) improve your accent and pronunciation.

Study Guide
Full instructions on how to plan your study and get the most out of your course.

Translation Book
A Romanized version of the Arabic text from the textbook to assist with pronunciation, with English translations mirrored on the opposite page.

Alphabet Book
This booklet give you details and information on how to recognize and write the letters of the Arabic alphabet.

This is a complete course, giving you all you need to learn a new language.