Simplifying Arabic Grammar by Mahmoud Ziyada

Simplifying Arabic Grammar by Mahmoud Ziyada

You want to learn this language and I want to help you in this endeavor.
The Arabic language is not very difficult as said. In reality, it is a very rich language. Many of the problems students face in studying Arabic are not to do with the language itself. There are other reasons for this difficulty. I hope to be able to help you in your study of Arabic. This book has been developed and written to guide you through some of the basic principles that will give you a head start in mastering the Arabic language.
I have tried to steer away from the commonly found ‘dry’ methods of teaching grammatical principles. Arabic grammar is not simply a set of mathematical and logical principles that the student must memorise.
Furthermore, it needs to be understood that grammar in itself is not the goal, rather it is a means to the understanding of the language and using it correctly.
The methods which promote grammar as the goal and turn it into a mathematical science have many negative effects from a number of angles:
∙ they waste the time of the student exhausting his/her efforts for limited benefit.
∙ they make the study complicated, therefore the student finds the work difficult, and this leads to feelings of hopelessness to the extent that we hear statements such as the Arabic language being complex and difficult to learn.
Achieving true benefit from any language requires dedication and practice.
In this book I have tried to follow simple and effective methods in explaining these principles.