A visit to Jordan would provide an ideal opportunity to brush up on your Arabic! Arabic has been one of the world's dominant languages for the last 14 centuries. Over 200 million people in over twenty countries speak this rich and enduring language. In addition to that of Jordan, Arabic is the official language of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. It is the language of the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam and, as such, Muslim followers study it all over the world.
Therefore, while spoken Arabic consists of various dialects, the written language as preserved through the holy Qur'an remains constant throughout the years. Speakers of different Arabic dialects may experience problems understanding one another, however they all understand its classical form as exemplified in its textual representation. A Semitic language, Arabic is written from right to left.