Arab parents living in the West struggle with teaching their children Arabic. I brought up my children in 1990s Britain. Passing my mother tongue on to them was an uphill battle. Sadly, this problem is now also affecting many children living on the Arabian Peninsula, where some are growing up fluent in English but struggling in Arabic reading skills. It should not be so. A bilingual child – enriched by both languages and both cultures - should be an aspiration, realistically achieved.
My children’s first words were in Arabic. But as soon as nursery started, the child entered a non-Arab world. They picked up English from the nursery staff. They picked it up from television and the playground, friends and neighbours. English became the language of schoolwork and the street. English started to overtake Arabic. Gradually it became the dominant language.
As a parent, I found myself swimming against the tide. Other Arab parents did a better job than me. These parents insisted that the child speak to them only in Arabic. This had its drawbacks. Over time, the conversations between parent and child did not develop in their complexity. With limited, weak Arabic the child could only talk to their parents about simple matters. Intricate discussions and difficult questions had to be avoided.
The reason I decided to speak to my children in English was to avoid this fate. I chose closeness to the child and the importance of passing on mature values and world views. I wanted to listen to their concerns and growing pains. They could talk to me about these things only in English. And so, in a way, the Arabic was sacrificed.
Arab families living in GCC countries are in a privileged position. Here they can bring up their children fluent in both languages. However, if English is the language of school and mall, the enthusiasm among parents to promote Arabic language skills will wane.
Parents want the best for their children. They want them to graduate with the best results. They want them to enrol in top universities and eventually secure good jobs. For this, English is essential. Arabic, in many cases, is not.
It does not have to be this way. I consider myself bilingual. Even though I write my novels in English, Arabic is essential to me. I read Arabic every day, I speak to my mother in Arabic. For my latest novel, set in the late 19th century, I was dependent on archival sources that were in Arabic and unavailable in translation.
Many of my generation were able to carry two languages, both strong and well developed. This is not the case among many young people today. In recent years, efforts have been made to enhance the teaching of Arabic in schools. Modern, colourful teaching tools are being used. Arabic is made to be as relatable as English.
These efforts are to be welcomed. I remember my own struggles with Arabic grammar at school in the 1970s. I remember how, as a 12-year-old, I had to study the particularly dismal autobiography The Days by Taha Hussein. Reading about abject poverty and the cruel deprivations of a blind child in an Egyptian village, should not have been part of a middle school syllabus. So, it is wonderful that young children now are learning Arabic in appealing and less austere ways.
My children’s first words were in Arabic. But as soon as nursery started, the child entered a non-Arab world
But where are parents going to put their greatest effort? If Arabic is desirable and English is necessary, then English will dominate. If Arabic is the language of tradition, while English is the language of food on the table, more effort will be put on the latter. If grades in English determine the future of a child, while Arabic is a voluntary extra, it is no surprise which language will be the priority. If English is cosmopolitan and Arabic is deemed old-fashioned, the status-seekers will gravitate towards English.
Raising the overall status of Arabic language would have an indirect but profound effect. Private schools throughout the GCC should make Arabic compulsory for all students, regardless of nationality. Universities should demand Arabic language skills as a prerequisite to enrolment. Employers should demand a basic knowledge of Arabic and a CV in Arabic. This would create a ripple effect. If Arabic proficiency is necessary, then people will seek the relevant certificates. They would be compelled to take on the challenge. They would be willing to invest effort, money and time on learning Arabic.
Arabic language skills should be rewarded with better employment prospects. Learning Arabic would then be a necessity rather than a duty or an enhancement.
A week before International Literacy Day, Sharjah ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi inaugurated, in Milan, a centre focusing on Arabic culture and heritage. This is a significant event, and this new Arab Cultural Institute reminded me of the British Council and the Goethe Institute of my childhood in Khartoum. These were exciting cultural hubs which gave local people a taste of European culture and languages. They provided films and talks but there were also rigorous language lessons with tests and diplomas.
Such Arabic institutes would facilitate the study of the language in the West. It would raise the status of Arabic and make it an appealing world language. It might not be an obvious link, but I believe such an initiative will ultimately boost Arabic inside the UAE. Indirectly, it would encourage Arab families to invest in teaching their children the language. Perhaps these institutes could also help Arab families living in the diaspora.
My children, now adults, reproach me for not having persevered in teaching them Arabic, for not having been strict enough. My excuse to them is that I was a struggling immigrant, in the 1990s before even the internet. I had little access to materials, and I was overwhelmed by the culture shock of my new life in Britain. Families bringing up their children in the UAE do not have these excuses. Instead, they are in the ideal place to raise bilingual children confident and enriched by both Arabic and English.
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%3Cp%3EThe%20influx%20of%20talented%20young%20Afghan%20players%20to%20UAE%20cricket%20could%20have%20a%20big%20impact%20on%20the%20fortunes%20of%20both%20countries.%20Here%20are%20three%20Emirates-based%20players%20to%20watch%20out%20for.%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHassan%20Khan%20Eisakhil%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMohammed%20Nabi%20is%20still%20proving%20his%20worth%20at%20the%20top%20level%20but%20there%20is%20another%20reason%20he%20is%20raging%20against%20the%20idea%20of%20retirement.%20If%20the%20allrounder%20hangs%20on%20a%20little%20bit%20longer%2C%20he%20might%20be%20able%20to%20play%20in%20the%20same%20team%20as%20his%20son%2C%20Hassan%20Khan.%20The%20family%20live%20in%20Ajman%20and%20train%20in%20Sharjah.%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMasood%20Gurbaz%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20opening%20batter%2C%20who%20trains%20at%20Sharjah%20Cricket%20Academy%2C%20is%20another%20player%20who%20is%20a%20part%20of%20a%20famous%20family.%20His%20brother%2C%20Rahmanullah%2C%20was%20an%20IPL%20winner%20with%20Kolkata%20Knight%20Riders%2C%20and%20opens%20the%20batting%20with%20distinction%20for%20Afghanistan.%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOmid%20Rahman%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20fast%20bowler%20became%20a%20pioneer%20earlier%20this%20year%20when%20he%20became%20the%20first%20Afghan%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE.%20He%20showed%20great%20promise%20in%20doing%20so%2C%20too%2C%20playing%20a%20key%20role%20in%20the%20senior%20team%E2%80%99s%20qualification%20for%20the%20Asia%20Cup%20in%20Muscat%20recently.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai,
HBKU Press
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
SUCCESSION%20SEASON%204%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreated%20by%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJesse%20Armstrong%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Brian%20Cox%2C%20Jeremy%20Strong%2C%20Kieran%20Culkin%2C%20Sarah%20Snook%2C%20Nicholas%20Braun%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
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
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Francis%20Lawrence%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ERachel%20Zegler%2C%20Peter%20Dinklage%2C%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Tom%20Blyth%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
