Letters names are stated followed by the letter used to transliterate
into English between brackets. Letters are written in Arabic in the following
positions from right to left: standalone, initial, middle, terminal.
aleph (a):
Long or consonantal A. Long a is like in bard or bali. consonontal
a is actually the glotal stop, it's a
sound like that produced at the beginning of a word, we usually use an
apostrophe to indicate a glottal stop in transliteration. Doesn't join
on the left.
ba' (b):
Just a b, very innocent. It's shape is the basis for a few other letters,
the distinction between them is the number of dots on or below the main
shape.
ta' (t):
Innocent t. Uses the same shape as ba' but with two dots on top instead
of one below. If you are Egyptian or not particularly uptight you'd call
ba' and ta' beh and teh.
tha' (th):
Th as in thorn th. First letter to be dropped in a colloquial dialect,
it makes you sound like you have a lisp. as usual call it a theh if you
are relaxed. Same shape as beh and teh.
Ha' (7):
Very heavy glottal H. This is a particularly difficult voice. There
is no equivalent sound in European languages and most Semitic languages
have lost it as well. All none African dialects require that you get this
sound correct otherwise you'd sound like Israeli spies from 60's Egyptian
movies. Can also be called Hah. This one starts a new shape.
Kha' (Kh):
ch as in scottish loch. This is the sound people make when they try
to stereotype Germans. This one should be easy. You can also call it Khah.
Same shape as Hah.
gim (g):
As in go in Egypt (even when speaking MSA, unless you are a zealot
or like OBL). and as in giraffe elsewhere (even if you don't like OBL).
Same shape as Hah.
dal (d):
A very innocent d. New shape. Doesn't join on the left. It is important
to keep this letter above the line, i.e. make sure when you write this
letter (and the next one) you keep the curve at the bottom sharp and thus
keep above the line. The reason will become clear later.
thal (zh):
th as in mother. Sometimes lost in local dialects. Same shape as dal,
same precautions, same joinging scheme.
ra' (r):
This is a rolled r, very similar to r in Spanish, not at all similar
to r in German or French. Also called reh. New shape. Note that this time
the whole letter goes below the line, it is very important to keep the
curve obtuse to differentiate from dal. Doesn't join on left.
zay or zein or zayn (z):
Normal z (hopefully). Same shape as reh, same precautions and joining.
seen (s):
Pretty much like the s in similar. new shape. In terminal or standalone
make sure the big curve goes below the line.
sheen (sh):
As in shine. Same shape as seen.
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