Standard Arabic – core value or value added ?

Abstract

In the opinion of the vast majority of the Arab society the literary Arabic is considered as a core value. Many even elevate it to the rank of sanctity, due to the fact that it is the language of the Koran. On the other hand Standard Arabic has never become a means of daily communication for all Arabs. It remains the language of written texts, ritual prayers and official speeches, while in everyday life people use dialects. Even Arabic language teachers in the Arab countries, when conducting classes in schools, speak a kind of intermediate Arabic or simply a dialect. In this context, the author tries to answer the question posed in the title of the present article.

Keywords

• core value
• standard Arabic
• dialects
• dyglossia
• identity