JORDAN
Language

Language

Jordanian' or 'Syriac' Arabic is spoken throughout Jordan and differs in many ways from modern standard Arabic used as a written language. The language of communication differs considerably from country to country. A Jordanian will hardly understand a Moroccan or Tunisian.

In a small number of Circassian villages, Arabic is not the official language and in some places Armenian is still spoken. At school the children learn English.

Some rules of pronunciation of Arabic:

-all letters are pronounced
-A ' means that a letter is pronounced very briefly.
-the r is a rolling r
-the y is pronounced as sj
-the sh is pronounced as sj
-the gh is pronounced like a brew r or French r
-The kh is pronounced like a hard g.
-The ou is pronounced like the oe

There is no fixed Dutch spelling for Arabic words. The names are written as they are pronounced. So Aqaba can just as well be spelled as Akaba.

Arabic is written from right to left and consists of 28 consonants. Vowels are not written, which results in different Latin spellings for the same word. Arabic numerals are written from left to right.

Some words and phrases:

English	Arabic
One	wahed, female: wahda
two	etnen
three	talata
Ten	‘ashra
Hundred	meyya
Thousand	‘alf
Sunday	yom el had
Wednesday	yom el ’arba’
Yes	‘aywa
No	la’
Summer	sef
Winter	sheta
Where is the hotel?	fen el fondok?
What time is it?	essa’a kam?
What is your name?	‘esm-ak ‘ak? (man)
What is your name?	‘esm-ek ‘eh? (woman)
Do you have change?	‘andokom fakka?

---

Sources

Allan, M. / Reishandboek Jordanië en Syrië
Elmar

Grünfeld, R. / Syrië, Jordanië en Libanon
Kosmos-Z&K

Haan-van de Wiel, W.H. de / Jordanië, Syrië
Gottmer

Jordanië, Syrië
Lannoo

Meijer, R. / Jordanië : mensen, politiek, economie, cultuur
Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen : Novib

Rauch, M. / Jordanië
Van Reemst

Weiss, W.M. / Jordanië
Elmar

Wills, K. / Jordan
Lucent Books

CIA - World Factbook

BBC - Country Profiles

Last updated March 2024
Copyright: Team The World of Info