Iran/ Iraq/ Afganistan

docbuxton · 01-01-2007, 12:57

Do any of you guys know where I could find (other than barnes and noble) basic language phrases for the dialect of Iran, Iraq and afganistan. I couldn't find anything through google. I'm trying to help out a friend and for my self. (future deployment) please point me in the right direction.

Respectfully,
docbuxton

**The Reaper** · 01-01-2007, 13:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by docbuxton

Do any of you guys know where I could find (other than barnes and noble) basic language phrases for the dialect of Iran, Iraq and afganistan. I couldn't find anything through google. I'm trying to help out a friend and for my self. (future deployment) please point me in the right direction.

Respectfully,
docbuxton

You could probably google some up.

TR

**Kyobanim** · 01-01-2007, 13:02

Google says this:

cecilmarie.web.prw.net/arabworld/arabic/

lexicorient.com/babel/arabic/

learn-arabic-language-software.com/phrases/ArPhrases.htm

grapeshisha.com/common-Arabic-phrases.html

Here's the rest.
google.com/search?hl=en&q=basic+arabic+phrases

docbuxton · 01-01-2007, 13:04

thanks guys for the info. Happy new year

Marauder06 · 01-09-2007, 06:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by docbuxton

Do any of you guys know where I could find (other than barnes and noble) basic language phrases for the dialect of Iran, Iraq and afganistan. I couldn't find anything through google. I'm trying to help out a friend and for my self. (future deployment) please point me in the right direction.

Respectfully,
docbuxton

Ask your unit S2 shop. If they don't have any, make them order them.

**Airbornelawyer** · 01-09-2007, 09:21

Googling isn't necessarily helpful and you need to make sure your S-2 shop is on the ball. Arabic has lots of dialects, many of which are not mutually intelligible, so googling "common Arabic phrases" can be misleading. You need to make sure your 2 shop gets Iraqi Arabic dialects.

For Iran and Afghanistan, Arabic are less useful. Arabic is a native language of only a minority of Iranians and is not a native language of Afghanistan. For Iran, Persian is the national language and lingua franca.

A Persian dialect, commonly called Dari, is a national language and the lingua franca of Afghanistan. It has many dialects, but there is a national "standard" based on the Kabul dialect.

Pashto is the other national language of Afghanistanand the main language of the Pushtuns, although it too has many dialects. You need to make sure your S-2 shop has material in the Afghan dialects; a lot of the publicly available materials are in the Pakistani dialects.

Kurdish is the other important one for the region, depending upon the particular AO. There are two major dialects spoken in Iraq, stretching into Turkey and Iran.

There are a lot of other lesser languages in the region, such as Azeri Turkish in northern Iran and Baluchi in southern Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Marauder06 · 01-09-2007, 19:18

Wow, great breakdown AL.

I'll also add that you can get Rosetta Stone for free through AKO.

01-09-2007, 20:34

http://www.tacticallanguage.com/tacticaliraqi/

I've never used this program so I cant state the validity of it, but I would recommend Berlitz's Language books, and Pimsleur's audio programs. Berlitz breaks down the words phonetically in English to correspond with how it sounds in the target language, and Pimsleur uses native-speakers on their cd's. Lonely Planet has a great phrasebook for Persian. But, none of this will mean anything if you do not learn proper grammar. There's a great language workbook in the Quick and Dirty Guide for Learning Languages Fast. I'd also encourage you to visit a mosque, or local Muslim community, who, likely will be more than willing to help you in your pursuits provided you do not have a gumby fade, and overt politik. After all, Language is more social than intellectual, and one of the most important things is to learn how to pronounce things properly to be understood at all, especially with Middle-eastern languages. But, the most important thing to remember is to be committed even when mental fatigue sets in. Try to practice for an hour in the morning going over what you learned the previous day, and in the evening for at least an hour. My friend Sean speaks several languages, and swears on long-haired dictionaries (female companions that speak the target language.) But, grammar is what keeps you from sounding like Borat in the target language.

take care,
George

**Airbornelawyer** · 01-11-2007, 15:51

Basics of Iraqi Arabic

Examples (mp3 format):

docbuxton · 01-11-2007, 16:22

thanks for the help guys. I got a e-mail from someone who told me to not bother anyone and to google. Just as I was thinking about the diferent dilects. I'm navy so, what is S2? is it my supply person?

docbuxton

**Airbornelawyer** · 01-11-2007, 18:51

Why would you think supply? The Navy uses essentially the same staff numbering system as the Army, only with Ns:

G1/S1/N1 - Personnel and administration
G2/S2/N2 - Intelligence
G3/S3/N3 - Operations and plans
G4/S4/N4 - Logistics

etc. (the higher numbers change at various levels of command in all the services)

01-11-2007, 19:02

I think these are all quality programs, but the most important part about learning a language is that it warms the heart of the native-speaker that you took the time to learn about their language, and culture. You'd be surprised the amount of Iraqi's who actually will speak English if they're receptive to you, and their dismissive attitude nature towards you if you do not even speak a little Arabic, after all, "You do have colleges' in America, yes?' These phrases are great, but do I think a large amount of soldier's can synthesize it correctly without a large amount of effort, no. Most likely they will jumble it up to something of the effect of, "Sister, please come here so I may hurt you.' Seek out someone from a local university or mosque, and be as passionate about it as your are Medecine, and you will not regret it. The more you learn the more fun it will become; and you may meet some Iranian/Iraqi expatriates who love America as much as you do. I would say learning Arabic in today's military could be considered a professional obligation if you consider you may spend half your career in the Middle-East.

khoda hafez,

George

JGarcia · 01-29-2007, 05:58

I have been taught that Dari is the root language of Farsi, which is the language of Iran. Dari is the formal language of court, if you can speak Dari, you can understand Farsi and vice versa.