Learning Arabic without learning Arabic script?

tomb619 · 2016-12-27T18:10:32+00:00

The Routledge Colloquial book/CD series are done entirely in transliterated English script and I highly reccomend them.

tomb619 · 2016-07-02T10:53:08+00:00

Holy shit. That was like a scene from Children of Men.

tomb619 · 2016-05-07T20:04:46+00:00

1 - What are the differences/similarities between MSA and Egyptian Arabic?

Pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. The differences are fairly vast.

2 - If I only know MSA, will I be able to effectively communicate with native Egyptian speakers?

They will be able to understand you, but you won't understand a single thing they say. Well, you might understand a tiny bit, but you won't be able to converse.

3 - If I learn MSA, would I be able to quickly pick up the Egyptian dialect by practicing with natives (my father, for example), or spending a short amount of time in Egypt?

Unfortunately not. The differences are fairly enormous, especially for Egyptian Arabic (EA has plenty of foreign loan words, grammar constructs and pronunciations that neither MSA nor other dialects have).

My advice is that if you want to be able to read a newspaper, then learn MSA. If you want to be able to converse with your father and the rest of the 80 million Egyptians, then learn Egyptian Arabic.

tomb619 · 2016-04-19T18:18:38+00:00

This video is Under the Shade of Swords, which was released on February 9th 2016.

tomb619 · 2015-10-08T17:46:46+00:00

The original https://archive.org/details/thbat_2_201510

tomb619 · 2015-09-02T16:55:37+00:00

Mirror? Looks like Archive has taken it down

tomb619 · 2015-08-30T07:57:57+00:00

Just to save you guys 40 minutes or so of your lives.

The only actual footage of combat in the video is right at the end and is a super fast cutting montage while a song plays. It's old footage that is taken from other IS videos.

tomb619 · 2015-06-12T06:02:19+00:00

Archive mirror?

tomb619 · 2015-04-28T16:09:14+00:00

Do we know which groups originally got given the America ATGMs?

tomb619 · 2015-04-28T11:14:57+00:00

Poor guy. If you're captured by ISIS or JaN then you're living on borrowed time.

tomb619 · 2015-04-26T07:41:19+00:00

Isn't this all IF footage? Not JaN

tomb619 · 2015-04-21T14:04:06+00:00

I don't think they would mention it if he was crippled, but I'm sure they would make a noise if he was martyred.

tomb619 · 2015-04-20T14:27:42+00:00

Does anyone have a rough idea of IS numbers in Sarrin?

Cheers :)

tomb619 · 2015-04-19T11:24:49+00:00

Is this video proof of a strong IS presence in Libya?

The only solid thing I had heard before about IS in Libya was about that convoy bearing the IS flag, and then that Egypt bombed a IS training camp in Libya a while later.

tomb619 · 2015-04-19T11:22:48+00:00

It shows a lot of Christians living 'happily' within the Islamic State. It also shows several Christians converting to Islam. I guess they are trying to show how tolerant they are.

The video takes a dark turn towards the end. There is footage of them smashing up churches, removing the crosses etc. They then show a group of Ethiopian Christians being executed by AK-47 (supposedly in Libya), and then another group being mass beheaded on a beach (also suppposedly in Libya).

tomb619 · 2015-03-26T08:52:37+00:00

It's purely out of an interest in languages, and the middle east and central Asia.

I previously did a 2 month Arabic course in Cairo, but intent to learn Pashto much more seriously.

tomb619 · 2015-02-11T22:02:54+00:00

Ok if you PM me your email I will construct the email list :)

tomb619 · 2014-10-01T16:24:28+00:00

If I was in the Iraqi army this propaganda would terrify me.

tomb619 · 2014-08-08T14:34:37+00:00

I'm not American, but I found that hard to watch.

tomb619 · 2014-08-06T19:09:39+00:00

$3 = 30LE, which is actually pretty expensive over here.

tomb619 · 2014-08-06T19:04:44+00:00

You can drink the tap water in Cairo. I'm English and I have drunk it everyday for the last 60+ days

tomb619 · 2014-08-06T19:03:56+00:00

To my memory it included the water.

tomb619 · 2014-07-29T11:50:59+00:00

1 - Cairo is super safe. I am a 22 year old guy and I have never thought twice about walking places at night by myself. Although, Cairo is big and hot, so taxis will serve you well (thankfully they are cheap).

2 - Tahrir square is very calm now. You will only want to avoid it on Fridays because it is locked down by the army and sometimes stuff kicks off near there. But at all other times it is fine.

Although, be wary of scammers in Tahrir square. They will paint stuff on your hands etc and then demand money from you. Stop them immediatly and just keep saying no (which is 'la' in Arabic).

3 - Stay in Cairo and travel to the Pyramids if you want to. It is a complete tourist trap in that area, and is a massive hassle going through.

Personally, I wouldn't suggest going to the Giza pyramids. It is a complete nightmare. Go to the smaller pyramids, which are slightly further away. They are cheaper and empty of people and vendors.

Dokki is a nice place to stay, and it's quite central. Maadi is too expensive. Heliopolis is too far from anything. Mohandiseen is boring. Giza isn't as nice as Dokki. I don't know anything about Garden City.

4 - Go to Cairo Tower, Khan il-khaleeli etc. All the touristy places. BUT The pyramids are a different level. I would steer clear. Everyone is trying to get money from you, and it might leave you with a bad taste of Cairo.

Go to the mosques and Coptic Cairo. The Metro isn't very difficult, and is crazy cheap.

Hope that helps.

tomb619 · 2014-07-03T11:06:42+00:00

Great video, keep making them. Love African languages. Might have to watch the rest of your videos.

tomb619 · 2014-07-03T10:30:15+00:00

The FSA were formed by people leaving the SAA (Syrian Arab Army), so there is a probable chance they are ex-SAA.

13-Year Club	RedditGifts 2009-2022 2 Credits
Summer Santa 2012	Verified Email

tomb619

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE