Superior Language SkillsA recent article from the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology reported that learning another language or extending the words in your own language earlier in life can combat the risk of dementia decades later.
Learning Arabic
What a good reason to begin learning Arabic if you’re living in the UAE. It may be more worthwhile than the coffee remedy to combat memory loss although I am relying heavily on this treatment. Maybe you are committed to Scrabble therapy, playing Bingo, cards, learning an instrument or dancing.
More so than this, learning the language of the country where we are residing is one of the best ways to understand basic information, respect the indigenous people, learn about the culture and help in the integration process which is a major hope expressed by Emiratis.
Arabic Language Aids
The availability of classes depends on where we are living in the UAE but here is a starter for those located in Dubai.
Individual tutors in Arabic or Gulf Arabic are advertized regularly in newspapers, magazines and web sites. Perhaps you could negotiate with a tutor if you wanted to form a language group.
Teach Yourself Arabic
Here are some other resources, mainly of the ‘teach yourself’ variety:
Learning Arabic in the UAE and the Gulf, ETE, 8 November 2007.
Why We Should Learn Arabic, ETE, 17 June 2008.
Spoken Arabic Step-by-Step by John Kirkbridge, Reviewing Books and Movies, 8 November 2007.
Teach Yourself Gulf Arabic, RBAM, 22 November 2008.
Goodword English Arabic Dictionary, RBAM, 9 November 2008.
Don’t they Know it’s Friday, RBAM, 6 June 2008. (Great book on customs in the UAE and Gulf region).
Link
Language Skills in Your Twenties May Predict Risk of Dementia Decades Later, Science Centric, 9 July 2009.
Check It Out
Check out the new site America’s Cup in the UAE.
Check out the new site America’s Cup in the UAE.
Dr Geoff Pound
Geoff can be contacted by email at geoffpound(at)gmail.com on Facebook and Twitter.
Image: “What a good reason to begin learning Arabic…”
Geoff can be contacted by email at geoffpound(at)gmail.com on Facebook and Twitter.
Image: “What a good reason to begin learning Arabic…”
