Arabic Idioms

Idioms represent a fascinating linguistic phenomenon that has captured the attention of many linguists for decades. This corpus-based study of idioms in Modern Standard Arabic sheds light on their intricate nature, establishes the major patterns of their linguistic behaviour, and provides explanations for these patterns. Adopting a descriptive framework, the study addresses two main issues with regard to the discursive behaviour of idioms: the discursive functions that they perform and the ways in which they contribute to the cohesion of their texts. Examining primary data with regard to the semantic, discursive, lexical and grammatical properties of Arabic idioms, the author touches on the ubiquity of these expressions in language use, the wide range of functions they perform in discourse, the problems they often cause in domains such as foreign language learning and translation, and their typical divergence from the normal rules of grammar and semantic compositionality. Providing explanations for major linguistic phenomena, this analysis will be accessible to linguists, translators, lexicographers, translation software developers, and language teachers as well as learners.

650 Idioms and Proverbial Phrases in Modern Standard Arabic is the ideal tool for learners of Arabic who wish to improve their knowledge and comprehension of Arabic language and culture and make their language more expressive and idiomatic. Including over 650 idiomatic expressions found in contemporary Arabic, this book is divided into two parts. Part I lists the idioms alphabetically for ease of use, providing English equivalents and a range of illustrative example sentences to show how the idioms are used in different contexts. The idioms are chosen based on frequency of use in written Arabic as well as oral speech, in Arabic literature and mass media. Part II includes 30 practice exercises structured around original texts which include the idioms covered in Part I. These practice exercises encourage students to review the meanings of idioms while improving their reading skills and familiarity with various text genres. Designed to be comprehensive, accurate, and easy to use, the book reflects the daily use of Arabic and draws on real and authentic use of the language. Suitable for use as a textbook or reader, this is an ideal resource for students at CEFR level B1 to C2 or Intermediate-High to Advanced-High on the ACTFL proficiency scale.

Idioms represent a fascinating linguistic phenomenon that has captured the attention of many linguists for decades. This corpus-based study of idioms in Modern Standard Arabic sheds light on their intricate nature, establishes the major patterns of their linguistic behaviour, and provides explanations for these patterns. Adopting a descriptive framework, the study addresses two main issues with regard to the discursive behaviour of idioms: the discursive functions that they perform and the ways in which they contribute to the cohesion of their texts. Examining primary data with regard to the semantic, discursive, lexical and grammatical properties of Arabic idioms, the author touches on the ubiquity of these expressions in language use, the wide range of functions they perform in discourse, the problems they often cause in domains such as foreign language learning and translation, and their typical divergence from the normal rules of grammar and semantic compositionality. Providing explanations for major linguistic phenomena, this analysis will be accessible to linguists, translators, lexicographers, translation software developers, and language teachers as well as learners.

A multicultural book that teaches English idioms about nature. Includes popular idioms, idiom meanings, example sentences, and colorful illustrations of characters and settings from around the world. This book also provides an English audio recording and links to teaching resources. This is a great resource for diverse classrooms!

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions in Levantine Arabic: Jordanian Dialect is a unique resource for intermediate and advanced learners of Arabic. The book contains over 2000 of the most common idioms and idiomatic expressions used in Levantine Arabic–Jordanian dialect. Each idiom is presented with a sample sentence or dialogue, which provides the authentic sociocultural context necessary to better understand how to use each idiomatic expression appropriately. Ideal for students studying Levantine/Jordanian Arabic or planning to study and/or live in Jordan or the Levant, this book provides learners with a wealth of basic vocabulary and structures that will raise their meta-linguistic awareness of Arabic in general and Jordanian Arabic in particular.

Arabic language; Idioms; dictionaries.