Interested in improving your ability to communicate in North African Arabic? Traveling to Tunisia for work or tourism? Sign up to audit an evening skills course in North African/Maghrebi Arabic, with a focus on Tunisian colloquial:

Spring 2018

Wednesdays 7:10-9:00 p.m.

Instructor: Ahmed Ben Hriz

Course Title: IAFF 6504: “Int Proficiency-Maghrebi Arabic”

Credits: 1

This course will be a comprehensive and practical overview of the Tunisian dialect of Arabic, highlighting how it differs from other dialects and Modern Standard Arabic. This course will  focus on the patterns of spoken Tunisian and give tips on how to better understand and communicate with North African speakers of Arabic through role play and immersion. The course will be a fun introduction to Tunisian culture and will dive into the French and Amazigh linguistic influences that shape the dialect. Students will learn vocabulary that is widely used in Tunisia and compare it to vocabulary used in neighboring countries.  This course is intended for those interested in better understanding and speaking the dialect — but also for those who wish to learn about ‘code-switching’ in North Africa and exploring its impact on media and social networks in the region.

Ahmed is a native speaker of Arabic from the south of Tunisia.  He has over seven years experience teaching languages to non native speakers, and has developed curriculum for four different Arabic dialects (Tunisian, Libyan, Iraqi and Gulf) with an emphasis on practical use and cultural context, for USG employee to enhance their service in Arabic speaking countries. Ahmed has a passion for linguistics and encouraging communication across cultures.

Contact Mitchell Ford for additional information: mfordy89@email.gwu.edu.