Abdullateef Al-Dhuwaihi
IN Sweden, Arabic language came in second place next to Swedish after beating out Finnish language, according to a study carried out by a linguistic researcher from the University of Stockholm. This was the direct outcome of the massive exodus of refugees from some Arab states, reported some Swedish newspapers last week. Are these findings a positive indicator of the growth of Arabic language and its glorious future?
Dr. Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary general of King Abdullah Center for Serving Arabic language, says that language is like a currency and its value rises with the increase in the number of its users. I don’t know what he meant by these users; whether they are only native speakers or others too. How can we say the language is flourishing quantitatively when those other than native speakers are using it? Several studies in the field of linguistics showed that there has been a tremendous increase in the use of Arabic and many other foreign languages but at the same time, there has been a decline in the use of Arabic language for technical terms.
No one can mitigate the level of successes achieved by Arabic language with spreading horizontally and vertically since its glorious past even though the successes related to certain places or periods of time. However, now, the success requires unification of the elements of place and time in a single entity. What constituted the ingredients for success in the past is not sufficient to gain success at present.
Even though there are multiple organizations and institutions concerned with the preservation of the Arabic language and there are numerous efforts to develop the language, yet these organizations and these efforts remain scattered, inconsistent or unsuccessful in an economic point of view.
The Arabic language and culture as well as the Arab nation are in need of online dictionaries, including general or specialized or technical dictionaries in each specialty or specific realm. These dictionaries shall be based on certain principles and criteria and to draw their vocabulary from the field. This is apart from relying on the traditional dictionaries which have been prepared by their authors after strenuous effort but did not have any updating after their production at some period of time in the past. It is important to issue updated versions of these dictionaries every year, with the latest inputs from universities, research centers, intellectual, cultural and media organizations, as well as from studies and researches.
These dictionaries will be an asset in terms of language, culture and knowledge apart from its economic value. These should be prepared in an feasible way so as to take advantage of the users for their success in getting jobs, as well as in the fields of production, marketing, and expansion of businesses.
In view of this, an investment company for the promotion of Arabic language should be established, and this would be under the supervision of an independent government authority with sufficient capital to implement some projects. These projects would include investments in the production of online Arabic dictionaries, conducting separate Arabic language tests for Arabs and non-Arabs, translation from Arabic to other languages and vice versa, teaching Arabic for business purposes for Arabs and non-Arabs, and carrying out continuous field studies about everything related with preserving and promoting Arabic language through taking advantage of advanced technologies.
It is significant to draw out the goals of the company and the authority with giving equal emphasis for economic and linguistic aspects. It is also important that this authority must coordinate with all concerned institutions to preserve and promote Arabic language. This body should also interact and communicate with UNESCO and the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and similar organizations in the Arab and non-Arab world. Needless to say, this authority shall serve the Arabic language within the Kingdom and outside and should not restrict its activities only at the local level.
