Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ARA2173: Living and Communicating in the Arab World

This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

  • Introduction to the concept of Arabic diglossia, dialect and register. 
  • Fundamentals of comparative Arabic dialectology.
  • Introduction to the phonetics and phonology of an Arabic dialect.
  • Introduction to the grammar, morphology and syntax of an Arabic dialect.
  • Lexical development through vocabulary drill and role-play scenarios.
  • Reading handwriting, reading signage, reading basic media Arabic texts.
  • Health and wellbeing in the Arab World.
  • Social conventions and social behaviour in the Arab World.
  • Risk assessment techniques.
  • Staying in touch.
  • Personal financial planning and management.

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
000

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities22Lectures: These focus on explaining grammar topics and acquiring practical skills for life in the Middle East. (11 hours per week over 2 weeks)
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities33Language Workshops and Seminars: These are conducted in small groups and include Pair work, Group work, Language games and Language Lab work. (16.5 hours per week over 2 weeks)
Guided Independent Study30Homework assignments and preparation for class
Guided Independent Study20Learning grammar.
Guided Independent Study35Learning vocabulary.
Guided Independent Study35Listening and speaking practice.
Guided Independent Study30Preparation of assignments and for exams

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

Liddicoat, M., Lennane R., and Abdul Rahim, I. 2008. Syrian Colloquial Arabic, a Functional Course (third edition). Online Resource

Lutfi Hussein. 1993. Levantine Arabic for Non-Natives: A Proficiency-Oriented Approach . New Haven: Yale University Press.

Mitchell, T.F. 1956.  An Introduction to Egyptian Colloquial Arabic . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Mitchell, T.F. 1962.  Colloquial Arabic: the Living Language of Egypt . London: The English Universities Press.

Pipes, D. 1983 An Arabist’s Guide to Egyptian Colloquial .

Younes, M, Weatherspoon, M., and Saliba Foster, M. 2013. Arabiyyat al-Naas: An Introductory Course in Arabic.  Vol. 1 Oxford: Routledge.

Supporting Materials:

Wehr, Hans 1979. A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic. Wiesbaden, Harrassowitz.