From book “Babel, Around The World In 20 Languages” by Gaston Dorren:
“The world’s 20 biggest languages, which are the subject of this book, are causing the decline of hundreds, even thousands of smaller ones.”
"Among them, these 20 languages are the mother tongues of no less than half the population of the world.
Take second-language speakers into account, and the numbers are much larger still.
Again, the figures are debatable, but it’s safe to claim at least 75 per cent of people on this planet are able to communicate in one of the Babel Twenty.
A less pertinent but more exact figure would be this: over 90 per cent of humankind live in countries where one or more of the twenty are routinely used by central government."
20 Vietnamese | 85 million
19 Korean | 85 million
18 Tamil | 90 million
17 Turkish | 90 million
16 Javanese | 95 million
15 Persian | 110 million
14 Punjabi | 125 million
13 Japanese | 130 million
12 Swahili | 135 million
11 German | 200 million
10 French | 250 million
9 Malay | 275 million
8 Russian | 275 million
7 Portuguese | 275 million
6 Bengali | 275 million
5 Arabic | 375 million
4 Hindi-Urdu | 550 million
3 Spanish | 575 million
2 Mandarin | 1.3 billion
1 English | 1.5 billion
…
5 Arabic
good morning - صباح الخير
Detailed summary of Arabic language, in English
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Arabic is a Semitic language that belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family, which includes languages like Hebrew, Amharic, and Hausa.
It is primarily spoken in the Arab world, which spans across the Middle East and North Africa, but it also has significant communities of speakers in various parts of the world due to historical migrations and diaspora.
Phonology:
Arabic has a rich phonological system with 28 consonants and 6 vowels.
Consonants include sounds like stops, fricatives, nasals, and trills.
The vowel system consists of three short vowels (a, i, u) and three long vowels.
It employs a system of pharyngealization and emphasis, which affects pronunciation and distinguishes between similar sounding words.
Writing System:
Arabic is written from right to left.
It uses a script that consists of 28 letters, most of which change shape depending on their position within a word.
The script is cursive, with letters often connected within words.
Arabic script is used not only for Arabic but also for other languages such as Persian, Urdu, and Kurdish.
Grammar:
Arabic grammar is based on a system of roots and patterns.
Nouns are marked for gender, number, and case.
Verbs are conjugated according to tense, aspect, mood, voice, and person.
There are two main types of sentences: verbal sentences, where the verb comes first, and nominal sentences, where the subject comes first.
Arabic also has a rich system of derivational morphology, allowing the creation of new words from roots.
Vocabulary:
Arabic vocabulary is diverse and has been influenced by other languages, including Persian, Turkish, French, and English.
Many Arabic words have entered other languages, especially in fields such as science, mathematics, and philosophy during the Islamic Golden Age.
Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the standardized form used in formal contexts, such as literature, media, and education.
It serves as a lingua franca among speakers of different dialects.
Arabic dialects vary significantly across regions, with differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.
These dialects are often mutually intelligible to varying degrees.
Importance and Influence:
Arabic is the liturgical language of Islam, and the Quran, the holy book of Islam, is written in classical Arabic.
As such, it holds significant religious and cultural importance.
Arabic has had a profound impact on other languages, especially in regions where Islam spread, leading to the adoption of Arabic loanwords and phrases.
The Arab world has a rich literary tradition, with classical works of poetry, prose, and philosophy.
Arabic is also a language of science, with contributions in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and other fields during the Islamic Golden Age.
In summary, Arabic is a complex and culturally significant language with a rich history, diverse dialects, and widespread influence across various domains.
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