Al-Kitaab Fii Tacallum al-Arabiyya

Abstract

The latest in the series of Al-Kitaab fii Ta calf um al-cArabiyya books, Kitaab 3 offers some new activities to challenge advanced Arabic learners. Of the familiar, tested themes, al-cibaaraat al-jadiida (new expressions) rank among my favorites. Native speakers take idioms for granted, while students are often confused by them. The authors provide a generous list of translated idioms and how to use them. One of those oft-repeated exercises shows students several rows of four Arabic words and asks them to choose which word does not belong there. The students have to justify their choice in Arabic, as the authors want them to "reach the level of the educated native speaker." Kitaab 3 consists of IO chapters. Chapter 1, "Islam and Politics," fea tures two articles on "Islamic fundamentalism": "Resolving the Dispute with the Islamic Situation" (Fahrni Hewaydi) and "Whither This Islamic Spread?" (Ahmad Kamal Abul Majd). In the area of grammar, it covers special uses of the demonstrative pronoun, the hollow verb, and the verbal and adverbial maa. In chapter 2, "Between Classic and Popular Heritage," we read "The Anecdotes of Goha," that lovable fool who has kept Arabs of all ages laughing since time immemorial. The same chapter highlights Youssef Idris in his "On Egyptian Theatre," and Nizar Qabbani's poem "qaari 'at al-finjaan" [The Reader of the Cup]. More discussion of maa ensues, this time its nominal and conditional meanings, along with the defective verb's morphology ...