I am struggling to learn the Arabic alphabet. It is nothing like Greek, Hebrew or Russian. It is all curves. I have started on Duolingo. You get the sounds and match them up with pictures. It took me a while with other languages on Duolingo to learn that in matching pairs you don't start on the left but play the sound on the right hand column and then match it with the picture without sound on the right.
Duolingo
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The second thing to remember in Duolingo when learning the alphabet, is that you will be asked to guess the picture of the written letter on the next page. So look at it carefully and create your own memory aid, connected with an English letter of the alphabet, or the picture of an object or a scene.
For example, in the picture of a sign which sounds like dow ood, I see a raised L in the air, third stroke, and think it looks like a door. However, a couple of signs later, the same sign appears again at the left sign of the word. I now have to remember that the D sound is in both words, but not where you might hope, with D at the the start of the word, but at the end. So the sound ending in D has the little L shaped like a door at the start.
I was surprised at my progress, faster than on Korean. I got through the first two lessons quite quickly.
I learned another sound. It looked like two uprights and a dividing letter in the middle. I thought it looked like two people arguing over something.
Now back to the alphabet. However I shall look on Memrise and Youtube to see if I can get any more suggestions.
I need to learn the Arabic Alphabet because I have three meetings on Arabic in the World International Language Lovers, WILL (now LILT), a soon to be established Toastmasters Club. We need twenty paying members to register a new club. I thought of asking on Facebook for Arabic speakers to give a 5-7 minute speech, or a twenty minute easy introduction to the alphabet. But I have to be the backup. Even if I only teach three Arabic letters, that would be a start.
The WILL (now LILT) club meets online every Sunday night at 9 pm Singapore time. Login on Zoom fifteen minutes earlier to say hello, rename yourself online, check you are visible, get to know everyone. If Sunday doesn't suit you, or you want more, we meet earlier in the day, 7.30 Singapore time, on the second and fourth Thursday each month. If there is a demand, we will run a satellite in person meetings in Singapore or other countries. Arabic is the language we are learning about for the first three meetings in October, Sunday 1st, Sunday 8th, and Thursday 12th, 2023. Do come along and tell your friends.
Update
WILL changed its name to LILT. A search for will brought up websites writing your will! Carolyn had the inspiration to create a word from the initials for Languages for Interest, Learning and Travel. The T can also be for translation.
July 2024 We no longer do the Thursday meeting. Friday and Sunday keeps us fully busy! We need some paying members to establish the club with Toastmasters International. If you want to be a dual member, or a founder member, or just a guest. come along to the next Sunday meeting. I usually rehearse a speech on languages on Friday at SGI. The timing is UK summer time 2 pm for chat and topics, a 2.30 pm start on prepared speeches. Sunday (is an hour later to accommodate President Edward at dawn in Belize in central America, 3 pm chat and table topics for 3.30 speeches.
Useful Websites
Duolingo
https://thehuntswoman.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-finish-a-language-on-duolingo/
https://thehuntswoman.com/learn-arabic-on-duolingo/
Song highlighting each letter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnLSy4nZI80
This version repeats half a dozen letters in succession
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joaa_H3ejoM
Please share links to your favourite posts
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