CLASH OF CULTURES, CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS - A MUST SEE VIDEO

Memri TV http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ai=214&ar=1050wmv&ak=nul

[shibumi]

This links to an outstanding commentary (and a brief attempt at refutation) by a lucid, articulate woman who now, no doubt, has a price on her head.

http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ai=214&ar=1050wmv&ak=nul

[G8 Diplomat]

See #18....I was incorrect about Gharb coming from “strange.”

[forkinsocket]

:D No problem.

Learning Semitic languages becomes a lot easier if you concentrate on learning the roots & their meanings first. Words will start to make a lot more sense then, & once you learn the rules for making words out of roots, the language opens up to you.

For example, I have an Arab friend who taught himself Hebrew just by listening to Israeli music. No joke!

[G8 Diplomat]

For example, I have an Arab friend who taught himself Hebrew just by listening to Israeli music. No joke!

Wow! That's cool.

My professor mentions roots every now and then, and I'm assuming we'll pay more attention to them once we're done learning the alphabet. So far the only ones I can pick up on are dars (lesson) and madrassa (school), and kitab (book) and kitaba (writing). I have noticed the word for student is talib(a)....I hope that has no connection to Taliban! LOL

[forkinsocket]

I have noticed the word for student is talib(a)....I hope that has no connection to Taliban! lol Actually, that's exactly what it means. They took the word taalib from Arabic & used the Pashto (Afghan language) plural ending to form the word taliban. Literally, students. The plural of taalib in Arabic is tullaab.

[forkinsocket]

kitab (book) and kitaba (writing)

The root for those words is k-t-b with meanings of markings & writing. From that you also get katib (writer), miktab (typewriter), kutubi (bookseller), maktub (letter), etc.

Then you can learn to congugate the root. Katabat (she wrote), kataba (he wrote), katabna (we wrote).

See what I mean? & these roots will help you learn every Semitic language from Hebrew to Aramaic to Assyrian.

[G8 Diplomat]

Taliban means “students”? That is hilarious!

Does the root system apply in Farsi as well?

[G8 Diplomat]

Does the root system apply in Farsi as well? <--Root causes! Lol

[forkinsocket]

Persian is an Indo-European language, so the only Semitic similarities are Arabic loanwords & their Perso-Arabic script itself.* They use a root word (not consonants)/prefix/suffix system similar to that of English (another Indo-European language).

I don’t speak Persian so I don’t know for sure, but Persians tell me that it’s easier than Semitic languages because if you familiarize yourself with the 1500 roots, the 600 suffixes, & the 150 prefixes, you’ll pretty much know everything. The language will also be easier to learn for Indo-European speakers.

*Arabic alphabet plus 4 Persian letters.

[shibumi]

That’s a very edifying lesson in linguistics.

What did you think of the video?

[forkinsocket]

That’s a very edifying lesson in linguistics.

Thank you. I have two languages learned besides my two native ones & hope to add as many as I can.

What did you think of the video?

I appreciate her kind words for my people, but I vehemently disagree with her secularism & her opinion that all religions are equally valid. I'd also prefer to watch the complete broadcast, but I'll have to settle for another edited version.

This is my favorite Al-Jazeera screaming match. Enjoy!

[SkyPilot]

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