Is locale-ization the best solution when localizing your product to Arabic?

Often times, clients ask us, “What dialects of Arabic can you localize into?” The simple answer would be to say, “We work in Modern Standard Arabic, or fus-Ha,” but more often than not, this question requires more than a simple explanation.

Map of the MENA region, showing distribution of Arabic's four major regional dialects.
North African	Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya.	Levantine	Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria
Egyptian	Egypt, Sudan	Arabian Gulf	Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, U.A.E., Kuwait

The most common assumption clients make is that they have to choose a locale (ie. dialect) and stick with it. This can be a costly assumption, isolating market segments and even potentially jeopardizing your company’s image as a capable market contender. They are often unaware of Modern Standard Arabic and the role that it plays.

Regional Dialects

Every dialect has its geographic and expressive limitations. The dialects have no official status and do not exist in written form. Offshoots of M.S.A., they have evolved since the eighth century with no attempt to form a standard. However, it is important to be aware of the linguistic background of those performing Arabization. A translator's background will influence choice of words, transliteration style of English words into Arabic and pronunciation, potentially lending them a local flavor not local to your targeted locale.

Cairean
The most widely understood dialect of Arabic is the Egyptian, or more properly the Cairean, dialect. Egypt’s long-standing role as the cinematic center of the Arab world helped to spread comprehension of this dialect throughout. In addition, Egyptians heavily advocate its use to the point where the choice to go with Cairean ‘ammeyyah seems almost inevitable.

Cairean differs from Modern Standard Arabic and most dialects in several ways. The most noticeable difference is that the letter ج, jeem, is pronounced in M.S.A. and most dialects as “j” while speakers of the Cairean dialect pronounce the same letter as “g”. Some phonemes unique to the Arabic language are simplified, swapping out hard-edged sounds for softer ones, such as “TH” (ظ - no English equivalent) for “z”.

On a recent trip to Cairo, we noted that Samsung was transcribed into Arabic as سامسونج , samsung using the Egyptian transcription method. This spelling would be read as samsunj by most other Arabic speakers (who would have spelled it as سامسونغ). Conversely, Jeep is written in the Egyptian transcription method as , assuming an Egyptian audience and substituting the Arabic jeem, pronounced in Egypt ‘g’, for the Persian ‘j’.

Beyond phonetics, Cairean has a very loose syntax and limited vocabulary range. Words are recycled to have multiple meanings. The word حلو ‘sweet’ is employed to mean pretty, nice, delicious, sweet, good, kind and favorable, to the exclusion of more precise terms.

While these Egypto-centric methods work in Egypt within a limited scope, they are becoming less appreciated in the rest of the Arab world. This is partially due from a paradigm shift where Egypt is being replaced as the economic, political and cultural center of the Arab world by the Gulf countries.

The Khaleej
The countries of the Arabian Gulf represent a lucrative market for imports. They are some of the world’s wealthiest countries, with high standards of income and lifestyle. In addition, they rely heavily on imported products, producing a limited quantity and scope of goods within their own countries. The dialect family employed in this region is broadly called khaleeji, or Gulfi, and is arguably the closest to Modern Standard Arabic in form and pronunciation.

As with Cairean, these dialects also switch out some phonemes with others. “Q” is pronounced as “g”, “k” as “ch”. Syntax and grammar are stronger, but they also employ expressions and use the language in ways that are peculiar to their dialect. Some Arabic speakers can be turned off by the quick, hard-edged sound of the dialect.

A Universal Arabic

While we still encounter nationalistic Arabs working to promote their native ‘ammeyyah (or dialect), recent years have brought an on surge of political and cultural consciousness throughout the Arabic speaking world which is strongest in Arabia itself. Arabs are once again embracing their language and working to propagate Modern Standard Arabic. Satellite television channels are on the front edge of this trend, recreating the language into a thoroughly modern streamlined version of itself. As the Gulf rises, we continue to see an increase in commercials designed to cater to a pan-Arab market by employing this streamlined Arabic, but with the face, dress and accent of the Gulf. These images are pushing Egypt out of the cultural center.

Modern Standard Arabic is the lingua franca in all Arab countries and the only form of Arabic considered a language. It is used exclusively in print and broadcast media, business, government, the sciences, technology and other official arenas. The grammar and pronunciation of M.S.A. is well defined and highly standardized, but it is innately flexible, allowing for the adoption of new terminologies into the language developed and agreed upon by linguistic bodies such as mujmaa al-logha al-Arabiyya, The Arabic Language Council.

The Eloquence Factor
Using M.S.A. is not just about the convenience of having all Arabic speakers understand your message. Arabs prize eloquence. Only Fus-Ha has the power to elevate your message and bestow credibility. The biggest mistake one can make is to ignore the strength of the Arabic language by going colloquial. Addressing your audience in a colloquial form of the language, especially one that isn’t theirs, lowers your message and has the power to irrevocably taint your company’s image. For example, using the Egyptian dialect to address people in Qatar will serve to alienate them and will likely send them the message that you do not value or respect them.

To the right is a verse in the Qur’an which states: “We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an so that you may gain wisdom.” What better endorsement of Modern Standard Arabic can you have?

؟ Did you know ?
In pre-Islamic Arabia, tribes from all corners of the Arab world would converge on massive poetry slams. Poets from warring tribes would recite poetic propaganda. The strength of Arabic poetry is measured by the eloquence used to insult enemies and to praise the poet and his tribe. In pre-Islamic Arabia, poets who achieved linguistic virtuosity would have their poems hung on the wall of the kaaba in Mecca, spreading their fame and reputation. There are only seven such poems to achieve this honor, called by scholars المـعلــقات al-mou'alaqaat (the ones that are posted). They are famous to this day.

The need for education about Arabic localization and technology issues is becoming apparent. This email is one of a series that will highlight issues in localizing for the Arabic language.

This email was written and distributed by Alawy, LLC. Alawy specializes in Arabic language technology development and localization. In tandem, Alawy also provides cultural, market & language consulting services.

Alawy, LLC. 57 Warren Street Norwich, CT 06360 United States of America Tel: 1 (860) 859-3564 83 Thacher Street Milton, MA 02186 United States of America Telephone: 1 (617) 273-0102.

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