Arabic and its influence on other languages

In the western world, where the most widely spoken languages are English and Spanish, or languages that are similar to English and Spanish, the Arabic language seems worlds away. However, the Arabic language has a strong influence on the vocabulary of languages such as English, French, Portuguese and Spanish, among others. Many words with Arabic origin are recognisable by the prefix al. In Portuguese, some examples are: aldiea (village), alface (lettuce) and the Algarve. English examples include algebra, alchemy and alcohol.

The presence of Islam in the Iberian Peninsula between 711 and 1492 AD contributed many words to Castilian Spanish and many other Spanish dialects, especially in southern Spain. Modern Spanish vocabulary includes many words with Arabic origin, including: taza (cup) from tasa, rincón (corner) from rukan, loco (crazy) from lawqa and café (coffee or café) from qahwah. In Spain, there are also many places and geographical features with Arabic names.

Arabic has also greatly influenced the French language. This is mainly because of the French occupation of Maghreb and Algeria during the nineteenth century - due to the resulting emigration, the French language has borrowed many words from Maghrebi Arabic. You may not imagine that while strolling down the streets of Paris - even on the best language course France has to offer, you are not likely to learn much about the words’ Arabic origins. However, there are many French words with Arabic origins, including bougie (candle), carafe (water pot), sucre (sugar), drogue (drug) and laqué (gloss).

To most westerners, Arabic might seem like something from a different world. But whether you are sipping your coffee or taking a French language course, just consider that Arabic's influence is present in the languages we use every day.