Students analyze the stylistic features of different genres and texts. Special emphasis is placed on understanding the nuances of the language and the use of idiomatic expressions and rhetorical devices. At the advanced level, students also study the basic structures and phonological system of one of the major colloquial dialects. Students are encouraged to adopt the same linguistic medium that intellectual and educated native speakers of Arabic adopt in their conversations on academic topics. The study of the dialect is uniquely integrated into the general curriculum emphasizing linguistic realities in the Arab World.
Classes meet for four hours a day.
Work outside of class requires between five to six hours a day. The Hans-Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, Spoken Languages Services.