An Introduction To Koranic and Classical Arabic
Thackston's textbook is the most recent addition to Arabic instructional materials. It is perhaps the friendliest Western grammar of Arabic. Its grammatical explanations are lucid and concise, yet they provide a complete, adequate description of a basic grammar of Arabic. The book comprises a preface, a chapter on preliminary matters, 40 lessons, supplementary readings from the Koran (Qur'an ? the holy book of Muslims) and hadith literature (traditions of the prophet Muhammad), 10 appendixes, English-Arabic and Arabic-English glossaries, an index of verb and derivational patterns (56 of them), and a general index. All the lessons have one consistent design: Each one is subdivided into sections and subsections. The explanations are accompanied by numerous examples. Each lesson concludes with a vocabulary list and two types of exercises: grammatical manipulation (providing case and mood endings) and translation.As a textbook, this work is particularly useful in programs where a reading proficiency of the Koran and hadith is desirable within a relatively short period of time, given that the students already have a reasonable grasp of Arabic structures and vocabulary. Overall, it is a very well designed book of basic grammar that can serve as a useful supplement for intermediate and advanced students of Arabic in various programs. --Mahdi Alosh, Modern Language Journal