Learning Arabic

Many reasons for increasing popularity

In recent years, colleges around the country have seen a dramatic increase in the number of students studying Arabic.

The Arabic program at Temple University’s Department of Critical Languages is no exception.
“This academic year we hired an additional full-time instructor of Arabic and added a third section of Arabic Elements,” said Temple’s Gordon Witty, an instructor of Arabic.

Witty has seen enrollment in Arab language classes more than double since he started teaching at Temple in 2003. For the Spring 2009 semester, Witty is teaching a class on Literature in the Arab World as part of the University’s general education program, exposing the subject matter to the greater student population.

One reason for the popularity of Arabic and Middle Eastern studies is current events, but Witty explains says there are a variety of reason why students want to study the language and its related subjects.

“Many non-Arab Muslims wish to learn to read the Qur’an. Arab-American students may be able to speak a dialect of Arabic but not read or write it. Other students are just interested in learning about the Arab world,” Witty says.

Matt Purchla