Growing up, Arabic was not a language spoken inside home or even outside of home; it was simply heard. I heard my parents speaking it, heard it through television or music or films, and sometimes radio, but it wasn’t a language that was often spoken. The challenges of speaking Arabic are not just due to my lack of exposure to the language, but also of platforms that support and encourage non-Arabic speakers to learn Arabic in a fresh and engaging way. While you can easily choose to learn Arabic from language institutions or tutors, the idea of having direct, independent, and free access to a singular platform that you can use at any time of your day is not widely popular. Duolingo, a language-learning website and mobile app, has been widely successful as the first platform to introduce a fun and addictive approach to learning a language; with a distinctive brand and design in the form of the owl Duo. While critics recognize that the app alone doesn’t help people to become fluent in a certain language, as this requires more effort in conversing and socializing with a native, but…
Etkallem Arabi (Speak Arabic): What You Can and Cannot Learn from the Application
June 23, 2021
