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Lebanese or Lebanese Arabic is the colloquial form of Arabic spoken in Lebanon.
Classification Lebanese is considered to be a part of the Levantine dialects of Arabic, spoken around Lebanon and Syria. Some linguists disagree over whether or not Lebanese is a dialect of Arabic, or a descendant of it (as Italian is a descendant of Latin). This distinction is largely motivated by political stance; e.g. whether the Lebanese people are considered part of the pan-arabic culture or as a distinct, isolated ethnicity. Many local Maronite, Syriac, Greek Orthodox communities, consider it a separate language, as well as the radical right-wing group Guardians of the Cedars, and others not belonging to a particular group or religious affiliation (see Non-Classical Vocables by Dr. Anise Frayha). Changes from Classical Arabic Lebanese shares many featural similarities with other modern dialects of Arabic. Syntax has become more simple, losing both mood and case markings. Also, verbal agreement regarding number and gender is required for all subjects, whether already mentioned or not. Also, plural inanimate nouns are treated as feminine. Classical Arabic on the other hand requires the singular for newly introduced subjects. For example, the expression "the mites have eaten me" is rendered "akalatni al-barağītu" ("the-mites it-ate-me") in literary Arabic, and "aklūnē l-Breğīt" ("the-mites they-ate-me") in Lebanese. Lebanese vocabulary and phonology (as in other modern-day dialects) differ from Classical Arabic For example: Spelling reform Lebanese is rarely written, except in novels where an accent is implied or in some types of poetry that do not use classical Arabic at all (see poetry of Younis Al-Ibn *). Formal publications in Lebanon, such as newspapers, are typically written in standard classical Arabic. Like Chinese, Arabic uses a single literary language ({{Unicode|Fuṣ′ḥá}}) for writing. While Arabic script is usually employed, informal usage such as online chat may mix-and-match Latin letter transliterations. Poet Saïd Akl first proposed the use of the Latin alphabet, leading to many attempts at a new transciption system. To download a copy of Mr. Akl's typeface, please visit the link below. While some works, such as Romeo and Juliet and Plato's Dialogues have been transliterated using such systems, they have not gained widespread acceptance. Books | ||||||||
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