Arabic is a widely spoken language, with over 200 million native speakers worldwide, primarily in the Middle East and North Africa. Additionally, it is one of six official languages at the United Nations. As the language of the Qur’an, Arabic is used throughout the Muslim world and is the official language in 22 countries.
This rich language has a history that mirrors that of the Arabic-speaking countries. Its roots can be traced back to the Semitic family of languages. The earliest known example of Arabic is an inscription found in the Syrian desert, dating back to the fourth century AD. Pre-Islamic Arab tribes, who lived in the Arabian peninsula and neighboring regions, had an oral poetic tradition that was not systematically collected and recorded in written form until the eighth century AD. This poetic language, likely a fusion of various dialects, came to be regarded as a literary or elevated style that represented a cultural bond among different tribes.
The origins of Arabic and its script remain a contentious topic. Some believe it originated in the north between the 4th and 7th centuries in Al Hirah, Mesopotamia, while others posit that it originated from the south of Arabia near Himyar between 110 B.C. and 525 A.D. A recent discovery by a French-Saudi expedition seems to support the latter.
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