This 10,452 square kilometer largely mountainous country is at the center of the world, at the junction between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. [9] The use of Arabic by Lebanon's educated youth is declining, as they usually prefer to speak in French and, to a lesser extent, English. Formerly under French mandate, independent Republic of Lebanon designates Arabic as the sole official language, while a special law regulates cases when French can be publicly used. Lebanon is a country located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Islam accounts for an estimated 56.3 percent of the population, comprising of Shia and Sunni sects, as per 2015 data by Statistics Lebanon is the country’s main religion. ‘Al-Jafool’ means a frightened camel and ‘Al harib’ means a female camel that walks a distance ahead of others. English is the language of business and communication, with French being an element of social distinction, chosen for its emotional value. A profile of the languages in Lebanon. The spelling system used here is one used by many speakers of Lebanese Arabic. Lebanon is a founding member and part of the 22 countries, Arab league. The English language has words derived directly or indirectly from Arabic, according to the British Council. There are still people who use French as their first language. These include words with article ‘al’ which in Arabic is ‘the’ like alcohol alchemy, algorithm and algebra. The numbering system used today was introduced to Europe by Arab traders. Jump to phrases. A law determines the cases in which the French language is to be used".[2].
A law determines the cases in which the French language is to be used within government, and is often used as a prestige language for business, diplomacy and education. Letters 'k', 't', and 'b' are the base for words like ‘kitaab’ which means book or ‘maktab’ which is library in English. The Lebanese more than likely wanted to distinguish the language they speak from French (a Latin language) that is widely used in schools and normal life, from English (a Germanic Language) that is growing in education and business life, and from Armenian (an Indo-European Language) that is used by some Lebanese in education and business. People who use English as a primary language are often foreigners living in Lebanon. Code-switching between Arabic and French is very common. Lebanon has been a part of various empires such as the Armenian and Arabic Empire which explains why people here can speak various languages.
Lebanon has been a part of various empires such as the Armenian and Arabic Empire which explains why people here can speak various languages. Article 11 of Lebanon's Constitution states that, "Arabic is the official national language. Like other Semitic language Arabic has intricate method of word formation from a basic origin. The French language in Lebanon is the second language of the country. Moreover, there are several various languages that are fluently spoken and used all over the country.
Aamiya is the informal and spoken Arabic used in ordinary conversations. It varies from country to country or region to region and each place’s distinct culture influences its flow or phrasing. Furthermore, the Kurdish language is spoken by the Kurdish minorities living there. [5][6][7], Almost 40% of Lebanese are considered francophone, and another 15% "partial francophone," and 70% of Lebanon's secondary schools use French as a second language of instruction.
It is officially called the Lebanese Republic. eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea at the crossroads of Europe On the other hand, the French language has marked a great impact on Lebanon’s society and culture. Those who use English and French as a writing medium and speak fluently in these languages are often marked as part of the elite or educated group.
Arabic also has exclusive sounds non-exist in other languages, like the sound of breathing on a window pane to create smog. Like most Arab league countries, Arabic is Lebanon’s official and national language, although English and French languages are also used.
Lebanon’s rich history has a great impact on its language. Lebanon’s various dialects play a vital role in molding its society.
Out of about 900,000 students, about 500,000 are enrolled in Francophone schools, public or private, in which the teaching of mathematics and scientific subjects is provided in French. Today Arabic is widely used in art through calligraphy and has extensive vocabulary which is not restricted to poetry and literature.
These are usually older people who were part of the French mandate on the 20th century.
[1] A law determines the cases in which the French language is to be used within government,[2] and is often used as a prestige language for business, diplomacy and education. The other dominant languages are Arabic spoken in North Laventine dialect, English, Armenian, French and Kurdish. By James Karuga on September 16 2017 in Society. Its letter patterns form the base of words for any semantic field. The French language in Lebanon is the second language of the country. Thus, these different languages play equal roles in forming Lebanon as a nation. Identifying all Lebanese as ethnically Arab is a widely employed example of panethnicitysince in reality, the Lebanese "are descended from many different peoples who are either indigenous, or have occupied, invaded, or settled this corner of the world", making Lebanon, "a mosaic of closely inter… The English language has increased its impact on Lebanon right after the World War II.
According to the British Council, Arabic is spoken by over 300 million people around the world. Fusha is classical Arabic which was Mecca’s original dialect according to ‘Al Bab.’ An adapted form of Fusha dubbed modern standard Arabic, is used in books, electronic media, newspapers, literature, and other formal settings like conferences.
Arabic is one of the world’s six major languages and Quran’s foundational language. The population of Lebanon was estimated to be 6,859,408 in 2018; however, no official census has been conducted since 1932 due to the sensitive confessional political balance between Lebanon's various religious groups. Fusha and Aamiya are two forms of Arabic. The other dominant languages are Arabic spoken in North Laventine dialect, English, Armenian, French and Kurdish. [8][9] By comparison, English is used as a secondary language in 30% of Lebanon's secondary schools.
In Arabic a camel has over one hundred words that describe the various states a camel may be in. In international diplomacy, Arabic is one of six official languages at the United Nations (UN) assemblies. It was home to ancient Phoenician settlements at sites that continued to be important centers of trade into the modern era. [13], Geographical distribution of French speakers, "Article 11 of the Lebanese Constitution", "Campaign to save the Arabic language in Lebanon", "Is Beirut the codeswitching capital of the world? A collection of useful phrases in Lebanese Arabic, a variety of Arabic spoken mainly in Lebannon. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2020 worldatlas.com, Towns With The Lowest Violent Crime Rates In The US, Countries With The Biggest Population Decline, Countries With the Highest Population Growth. [12] Actual usage of French varies depending on the region and social status. Moreover, it also has a great effect on its culture.
This is because of the French mandate of Lebanon which occurred during the 20th century which placed Lebanon under the French government from 1918-1943.
Arabic started through oral and poetic traditions that thrived in Arabian Peninsula before Islam and the coded Arabic script emerged. Arabic belongs to Semitic language group which includes Hebrew and Amharic, the main language used in Ethiopia, which date back to the late Iron Age. One third of high school students educated in French go on to pursue higher education in English-speaking institutions. See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. These root phrasings in Arabic have also mutated to be the base of Swahili language. The French language is used on Lebanese pound bank notes, road signs, vehicle registration plates, and on public buildings, alongside Arabic. It can be said because of how people tend to adopt and get used to these different languages. Lebanon borders Syria to the east and Israel to the south and has a population of 6.007 million people according to World Bank 2016 data. [5][10], French and English are secondary languages of Lebanon, with about 45% of the population being Francophone as a second language and 30% Anglophone. See language lists, maps, statistics, and more. It’s written from right to left and has 28 letters.
Lebanon became independent in 1943 with Beirut as its capital. [11] The use of English is growing in the business and media environment. The use of the French language is a legacy of the time of the French Crusades[3] and France's colonialism in the region, including its League of Nations mandate over Lebanon following World War I; as of 2004, some 20% of the population used French on a daily basis.[4]. Lebanon’s rich history has a great impact on its language. Lebanon, country consisting of a narrow strip of territory on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It is very evident because most of the government publications appear in French, aside from Arabic, which is its national language. The majority of Lebanese people speak Lebanese Arabic, which is grouped in a larger category called Levantine Arabic, while Modern Standard Arabic is mostly used in magazines, newspapers, and formal broadcast media. Letters 'k', 't', and 'b' are the base for issues to do with writing, books, and library.
", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=French_language_in_Lebanon&oldid=980802369, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 28 September 2020, at 15:07. Lebanon’s official national language is Arabic as stated in Article 11 of Lebanon’s constitution. Life expectancy in Lebanon is 79.63 years according to 2015 World Bank statistics.