The Status of the Arabic Language among Languages, Methods of Teaching It, and Future Challenges

Abstract

Language, as defined by the linguist Abu al-Fath Othman ibn Jinni, is not only a tool for expressing purposes, but also a means of social communication, as described by linguist Simon Potter. It goes beyond that as it is linked to identity, especially when the language is a sacred heavenly script, like the Arabic language, the language of the Holy Quran, the clear book of the Muslims, the last of the heavenly books.

From this perspective, the security of the Arabic language requires openness and receptivity to everything new, and the utilization of the advancements in scientific research. It has occupied human thought since the beginning of linguistic awareness, becoming the focus of interest and study across ages, much like communication. Ferdinand de Saussure presented this approach when he studied language in isolation from speech and parole. He identified its characteristics and saw it as a human phenomenon that is difficult to subject to description and analysis. Its fields are diverse and heterogeneous, belonging to individual and social domains, attracting the attention of various disciplines—physical, physiological, psychological, and more.”[1]“

Therefore, it is impossible to find an accurate scientific definition for it. AymanKhaledAl-Darawsheh” says, 'Despite the ease of language and its flow on tongues, we face great difficulty in providing a precise and comprehensive definition. Thus, scholars throughout different eras have attempted, each according to their opinion, to formulate the most comprehensive and inclusive definition.'"However, in reality, it is a definition lacking comprehensiveness and general coverage, often limited to one or more aspects without grasping the overall essence of language and its nature and elements.