Arab Culture/Arabic

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Expert: - 1/15/2011


Question
I am not sure if you speak Arabic or not but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.  Hello.  I plan on going to Egypt this summer for vacation.  I can speak German, French, Italian fluently and can I also speak Chinese and Japanese at an intermediate level.  So now I have begun arabic.  I am learning modern standard and the egyptian dialect.  I understand everything so far that I have been reading except I do have one question about short vowels.  The fatHa (a) can sound like "ahh"  or "ehh"  and sometimes even like "uu" (as in foot).  The books I have read says it all depends on what comes before the fatHa to determine what sound it gets but none of books explain the rules.  Could you give me an idea of what sound to use with fatHa?  When do use the "ahh" sound, when do I use the "ehh" sound, etc.?

Answer
Vincent, I am sorry that I don't understand what you are asking. I do speak Arabic, with a Lebanese dialect. Arabic like English has many dialects (over 30 I believe). The dialect in Egypt is quite different from the Levant dialect which I speak. Egyptians understand Lebanese more than Lebanese understand Egyptians. So I am not sure I am the right person to help you.
Sincerely,
David Rababy

Arab Culture

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David Rababy

Expertise

Questions regarding political, military and cultural issues in the Middle East

Experience

•27+ years of experience in intelligence analysis •Coordinated the management, analysis, processing, and dissemination of strategic, operational and tactical intelligence •Conducted research & analysis of counterterrorism, and foreign military forces, operations, capabilities and trends in support of threat production •Analyzed information to assess developments, trends, and threat implications within geographical and functional areas •Compiled, collated, analyzed, produced and evaluated all-source intelligence •Subject Matter Expert on Middle East affairs (native of Lebanon)

Organizations
Disabled American Veterans (DAV) National Veteran-Owned Business Association Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) The American Legion The Marine Corps League The Association of Service Disabled Veterans (ASDV) Fredericksburg Small Business Association (FSBA)

Publications
Rababy, D.A., Marine Corps Intelligence, Officer Training of the Future, U.S. Army Military Intelligence magazine, May 1995 Rababy, D.A., Intelligence Support During a Humanitarian Mission, Marine Corps Gazette, February 1995 Rababy, D.A., Intelligence Support in Operations Other Than War, Small Wars Journal, October, 2005 Rababy, D.A., Cultural Intelligence Training for Military Operations, Ongoing

Education/Credentials
American Military University, Master of Arts, Political Science University of Michigan-Flint, Bachelor of Arts, History Armed Forces Staff College (JPME II) Intelligence Collection Managers Course USMC Command & Staff College Anti-terrorism Instructor Course Instructor and Curriculum Developers Course

Awards and Honors
Bronze Star Medal Joint Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (Third Award) Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (Third Award) Combat Action Ribbon (Second Award) Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait and Saudi Arabia) Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Instructor of the Year (1996)

Past/Present Clients
Jane's Information Group Klein Associates (ARA) Robotic Research

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