III.

Arabic Script

The Arabic script, which is derived from that of Aramaic, is written from right to left. It is based on 18 distinct shapes that vary according to their connection to preceding or following letters. Using a combination of dots above and below 8 of these shapes, the full complement of 28 consonants and the 3 long vowels can be fully spelled out. The Arabic alphabet, which is the second most widely used alphabetic system in the world, has been adopted by non-Semitic languages such as Modern Persian, or Farsi, Spanish, Urdu, Malay, and some West African languages such as Hausa. The use of verses from the Koran in Arabic script for decoration has led to the development over 1,400 years of many different calligraphic styles. Calligraphy is a high art form in the Arab world.

The long history of Arabic includes periods of high development in literature. The Arabic of medieval writing is termed Classical Arabic. Modern Standard Arabic is a descendant of Classical Arabic; frequently, however, the stylistic influence of French and English is evident. In the 20th century, in particular, much scientific, medical, and technical vocabulary was borrowed from French and English. See Arabic Literature.

Selected statistical data from Ethnologue: Languages of the World, SIL International.