cjsmith: (cjre joe2)
cjsmith ([personal profile] cjsmith) wrote2002-11-14 12:55 pm

Ooo, fun!

I have a new book: "Beginner's Arabic Script", in the Teach Yourself language series. I can write six letters now, if you count alif and alif madda as two. I can write the words "father", "August", "furniture", "door", "firm/solid", "son", "daughter", "I", and "you". I am on page eight.

Wheeee! :-) :-)

[identity profile] portia.livejournal.com 2002-11-14 08:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Hey, I have an Arabic script book on my Amazon.com wishlist! I bet it's the same one. Last year I bought/received a bunch of Arabic books but never got a chance to do much other than learn the alphabet, which I have now forgotten. I should go find the box that has those books in it and unpack 'em.

[identity profile] cjsmith.livejournal.com 2002-11-15 10:33 am (UTC)(link)
Over twenty years ago I learned the numbers, yes, no, please, thank you, and a few other things. And a waiter taught me how to write Coca-Cola. I haven't used it since. I still remember how to count to ten; it will be interesting to see how badly the years have distorted the words in my mind.

Yeah, unpack your box, and maybe we can discover how to create the characters on LJ!

[identity profile] lkeele.livejournal.com 2002-11-15 09:43 am (UTC)(link)
Hey! I know some of those!!! Ibn, Baba, ana, anta, bint, (binti is my daughter and ibni is my son), um... I used to know 'door' and 'august' -- they're really close, aren't they?? I can write 'em in arabic too, but I don't know how to do that on livejournal. :)

Good for you for picking up the book. Arabic script is FUN, isn't it?? I spend all of breakfast trying to decipher the side of the milk bottle, cereal box, whatever.

[identity profile] cjsmith.livejournal.com 2002-11-15 10:31 am (UTC)(link)
I get confused by the words that are very close. With only six letters to work with, that means I'm quite confused! Father, door, and August are all close.

I'm at home and the book is at work; let's see how well I do:
father = ab
August = aab
furniture = athaath
door = bab
firm ... um, it ends with a 't'
son = ibn
daughter = bint
I = ana
you = anta

I bet I screwed up father, door, and August. :-)

[identity profile] cjsmith.livejournal.com 2002-11-15 11:24 am (UTC)(link)
Hey, pretty good! Door has the long a: baab. Firm/solid is thaabit. Cool! The book was right: writing things down is a powerful aid to memory!