Saturday, March 05, 2005
The spread of English language in Iraq
IslamOnline is almost never friendly to the United States, and certainly not when Iraq is involved. Sometimes, though, you can find positive little nuggets grudgingly following the usual pro forma denunciations. For example, in an article called "In Iraq, you want a job, you learn English":
But then there is this:
A land of language-learning, skill-honing, ambitious Arabs who are going to private night school to improve themselves. Will the new Iraqis become the basis of an Arab economy that is more than local agriculture and the extraction of minerals?
Unemployment is one of the plagues. To get a job in Iraq, you need to learn a foreign language, especially English, to know how to deal with computers or to know how to “lead”.
As a result, specialized centers are fast growing. One can tell by the hundreds or even thousands of newspapers ads or street signs promoting such centers.
Common among almost all job ads is the condition of “fluent English”.
Observing the rapid change, many Iraqis were skeptical. “You have to know the language of ‘Ok and Yes’ [English] to secure a job,” one Iraqi told IOL.
But then there is this:
“I began to attend English courses after I found ads making learning a foreign language a necessary qualification to get a job,” said Khalil Atta, a 27-year old who had an MA in business administration.
The increased demand for translators to work for the US army, foreign contractors, foreign TV and Radio stations, or even to work as correspondents for dailies and magazines was only natural to give an added value to language centers in occupied Iraq.
Such centers were almost a taboo under ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s regime, but they flourished remarkably after US-led occupation forces rolled into Baghdad...
Some believe the changing atmosphere, generally, had some positive aspects to it.
According to Jassem Mohamed, a lecturer at Baghdad University, the tendency created an atmosphere of competitiveness in the Iraqi society.
“I had to go to one of these centers every day after work. It is challenging.”
Naturally, owners of the language and computer (teaching) centers are encouraged by the boom and opting to further promote their businesses.
Ziyad El-Ani, for one, divided his center (Unlimited Horizons) into six sections, personal development, language learning, administrative enhancement, cadre training and creativity development.
“These are all for boosting human development of Iraqis,” said El-Ani.
The Iraqi women were not left out.
Asmaa Mahmoud, 28, said some businessmen have opted for her center to enhance their skills of administration and leadership.
A land of language-learning, skill-honing, ambitious Arabs who are going to private night school to improve themselves. Will the new Iraqis become the basis of an Arab economy that is more than local agriculture and the extraction of minerals?
1 Comments:
By 
Marc, at
Sat Mar 05, 06:05:00 AM:
OFF TOPIC
Here is a Syrian blogger you might be interested in. Nice to get a view from inside during these momentous times.
http://amarji.blogspot.com/
