'Fell in love with Arab culture': Why these UAE expats, foreigners learned Arabic

From setting their phone's language as Arabic, to making connections between their culture and the Arab world's history, these learners from different parts of the world are embracing Arab heritage and exploring different dialects in the Arab world.

In celebration of UN Arabic Language Day, observed each year on December 18 since 2012, Khaleej Times engaged with these passionate individuals, exploring their unique stories and deep appreciation for the Arabic language.

Shirley, a Dubai resident from China is one of those who have embarked on a journey of learning Arabic. A profound appreciation for the language, culture, and Islamic heritage drives the 38-year-old. Since moving to the UAE nearly a year ago, Shirley has immersed herself in Arabic through online applications such as Duolingo, Arabic books, and community interactions.

Shirley’s interest in Arabic stems from her deep-seated respect for Islamic culture and the Holy Quran. “I love Arabic music, poetry, and its rhythms, which are so different from Chinese traditional music,” she explained. For her, learning the language is about communication and understanding the intricacies of Islamic history, culture, and art.

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Her fascination with the Arabic language began long before her move to Dubai. Shirley recounted stories from her childhood in China, where she learned about the historical ties between the Tang Dynasty and the Abbasid Dynasty. “These connections made me feel a deep bond with Arabian people. Even as a young girl, I admired their culture and history,” she shared.

Shirley also revealed a personal commitment to integrating her family into this cultural journey. Her son, who is enrolled in an international school in Dubai, is learning Arabic as part of his curriculum. “I want him to understand the language and Islamic culture more deeply,” she said.

Despite being at a beginner level, Shirley is determined to master Arabic to the point of native fluency. She attends weekly Islamic civilisation classes and is captivated by Arabic calligraphy, describing it as “a unique art form.” Her enthusiasm for learning extends beyond language acquisition to a broader understanding of Arabic literature, poetry, and history.

For Shirley, Arabic is more than a language; it’s a gateway to a richer world view. “I want to live with people from all over the world and understand their perspectives. Arabic brings me closer to that vision and God,” she expressed earnestly.

Janna Kim, who spoke to Khaleej Times in November, picked up Arabic unexpectedly in her home country of South Korea. While studying at the foreign language institute in South Korea, Janna felt embarrassed by the idea that she was the only who didn’t speak any other language apart from English and Korean.

While all her peers were learning European languages, such as German and French, Janna sought out something different: She chose to learn Classical Arabic, known as fus’ha. This surprised her family, who questioned why she learned Arabic and not a European language, but Janna said that she “was adamant on Arabic. The beauty of the language won me over.”

In the beginning, learning Arabic was not at all that easy. “I poured all my energy into it,” Janna said. “It took me more than a year to just get a hang of the language. Then it took another three years for me to start working as an interpreter.”

Janna also took measures to steep herself into the Arabic language by programming her phone’s settings in Arabic. “Changing my phone to Arabic helped me learn more. It is an ongoing process. Even now, I don’t consider myself as someone who has mastery in Arabic,” she said.

Regardless of the challenges she faced, she said “when I started studying the language, I fell in love with Arabic and the Arab culture.” Janna also started embracing Arabic dialects, starting with the Egyptian dialect, and later moving on to the Emirati dialect.

Despite having visited the country only three times, Janna was at the Sharjah International Book Fair last month, working as an interpreter. She also hosted an Arabic podcast about SIBF as part of the South Korean team. She said that she dreams of landing a job and moving to the UAE. “I just love everything about this country. The language, the culture, the people,” she added.

Modern Standard and dialect variations

For Sekou Abdallah Touré, the various Arabic dialects spoken in the UAE was a revelation. After he arrived in the UAE more than two years ago to work as a restaurant waiter, Sekou expected most people to speak the same variety of Arabic he spoke, but that was not the case. “I noticed that in Arabic countries, there are different dialects, “he added.

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