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Language of Jordan

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Jordan or The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is an Arabic kingdom existing on the East Bank of the Jordan River in Western Asia. Saudi Arabia borders Jordan to the south and east. It shares its Northern borders with Syria, as well as it is bordered by Iraq to the northeast, Palestine, Israel and the Dead Sea to the west, and to the south-west by the Red Sea. Jordan is strategically located at the intersections of Europe, Africa and Asia. Its official capital city is Amman as it is the most populated city and it is considered as Jordan’s cultural and economic center.

Arabic is the official language in Jordan. All the country’s habitants, including the minority communities, speak Arabic in their daily life. As well as, it is important to admit that English is also commonly used especially by the well-educated people. In addition, you may find that the many radio programs and television shows broadcast in English. You can spot other foreign languages used in the country such as German and French. We will list briefly more information about each spoken language in Jordan.
 

Arabic

Arabic is the official language in Jordan. The entire population, including minority communities, speak Arabic. It is commonly employed in most written documents and media. Many Arabic dialects intersect in Jordan as it belongs to Arabian and the Middle East worlds. Turkish, French, and English languages have influenced these dialects. All these factors has a great influence on the vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation rules of Jordanian Arabic. There are three different Arabic dialects adopted in the Jordan: urban, rural, and Bedouin Jordanian. Urban Arabic is made up of the aspects of Arabic spoken by people who migrated from Palestine, Hauran and Moab. People born in rural areas speak rural Arabic. Jordanians who live in the desert, which is located in the eastern region of the country, speak the Bedouin language. This Bedawi Arabic language is mostly reserved for the royal families.

English

As an old British colony since 1946, English is the main foreign language adopted in Jordan. It is taught alongside Arabic, which makes it a prior foreign language in Jordan. Therefore, it is a mandatory subject in schools. As well, English is a priority foreign language in Universities and institutions of higher learning, as a good proficiency of English is necessary to compete in the job market in Jordan. Nowadays, English language competes with Arabic in many fields such as media, business, and scientific studies.

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French
There is a small French speaking population in Jordan. Jordanians interested in cultural and commercial features of France mainly speak French. As well, you can find many students in schools and university also have the chance of acquiring French as a foreign language.

 

Minority Languages
You can also hear many other languages in the country, as there are a several ethnics living in Jordan as minorities. These languages include German, Armenian and a few Caucasian dialects such as Chechen and Circassian. A few schools provide education using these languages in addition to English and Arabic. Moreover, older people in Jordan who studied in the USSR can also speak Russian as well. Tagalog language is used in the country but by foreign workers originated from Philippines.


It is important to point out that the variety of ethnic minorities that have held on to their mother tongue are speaking their original language amongst themselves, and they can speak Arabic fluently, which allows them to interact with other groups.