The ties binding Greek and Arabic culture are not just limited to the past. They can also be heard in some of our everyday speech in the Arab world.
For example, the Arabic word baqala – used to describe the local supermarket – is similar to the Greek word bakalis.
The term bekheir, meaning well or good and often used in reply to an Arabic greeting, is linked to the Greek word kha-raa which means joy or contentment. Arabic and Greek have similar terms for music (musiqa and mousica) and chemistry (kimya and chimeia).
The Arabic term for Greece is Yunan, which also derives from the Greek word Ionia, the former region of Anatolia in modern Turkey where Greeks resided. These inhabitants are viewed as some of the first Greek communities to have contact with what is now defined as the Levant.
These are some of the similarities described by Emirati authors at the Thessaloniki Book Fair in Greece, where Sharjah is the guest of honour.
“Culture exchange between Greeks and Arabs having been going for centuries to such an extent that when it comes to certain words, it is unclear to what extent each culture affected their respective languages,” Emirati poet and literary critic Sultan Al Amimi says. “The relationship was at times so dynamic that it seamlessly influenced Greek and Arabic words.”
Al Amimi referenced Khalid ibn Yazid, a seventh-century prince from the Umayyad dynasty who was renowned as being a patron of the sciences.
"When he learned that a group of Greek philosophers came to Egypt he brought them to see him and, as a result, ordered the translation of their books from Greek to Arabic," he says. "This initiative is viewed as one of the first instances of language transfers in the history of Islam."
Abdulaziz Al Musallam, poet and chairman of Sharjah Institute for Heritage, also notes how Ibn Al Muqaffa, the eighth-century Iraqi author behind the masterful Arabic translation of children's fables Kalila wa Dimna from the Indian anthology the Panchatantra, also played an unheralded role in bringing Greek literature to the Arab world.
"Not many people knew that he also translated three Greek books into Arabic. He did that by using existing translations in Farsi, which was much more common at the time," he says. "It is also the consensus of Arabic researchers that Greek tragedies went on to influence early Arabic folk tales, in particular how they viewed the concept of heroism."
Al Musallam also recalls how some of the earliest examples of Greek cultural influence on the gulf predate Islam.
He describes how some inhabitants of the region followed Nestorianism, an early Christian doctrine named after fourth-century Greek theologian Nestorius.
As for the music of fijiri, a form of vocal sea shanties historically sung by pearl divers in the Gulf, Al Musallam says it has its roots in Nestorian spiritual chants.
Greek anthropologist Haris Melitids says we are only scratching the surface when it comes to understanding the shared heritage between the Greek and Arab civilisations.
“Arabic translations were crucial in the history of Greek-Arab relations and it is time to reaffirm cultural friendships to strengthen the bonds between people, as culture best represents the spirit of nations,” he says.
“Understanding our shared past and fostering future cultural friendships is more urgent today than ever, as culture is the fundamental element that unites people and enhances mutual understanding.”
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
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Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Tomorrow 2021
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The biog
Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus
Favourite travel destination: Ooty, a hill station in South India
Hobbies: Cooking. Biryani, pepper crab are her signature dishes
Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island
BRIEF SCORES
England 353 and 313-8 dec
(B Stokes 112, A Cook 88; M Morkel 3-70, K Rabada 3-85)
(J Bairstow 63, T Westley 59, J Root 50; K Maharaj 3-50)
South Africa 175 and 252
(T Bavuma 52; T Roland-Jones 5-57, J Anderson 3-25)
(D Elgar 136; M Ali 4-45, T Roland-Jones 3-72)
Result: England won by 239 runs
England lead four-match series 2-1
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
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- Financial well-being incentives
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Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Plastic tipping point
Sheikh Zayed's poem
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
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You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
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You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
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Explained
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RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
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WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
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Company%20Profile
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