Do Arabs have a shared language?
The Arabic language is the glue that binds the Arab World. Arabic has played a significant role in the shared history of all Arabs, and it continues to provide Arab society with a cohesiveness and strong sense of identity. The contemporary “Modern Standard Arabic” is based on the classical form of the language, and is used in literature, print media, television and radio, and in conversation between educated Arabs from different countries (for example international conferences; thus allowing Arabic speakers from countries as far apart as Lebanon and Morocco to understand one another). “Colloquial Arabic,” or the locally spoken dialect, varies greatly from country to country and region to region throughout the Arab World.
