Companies considering entering the large market of Arabic-speaking countries are wondering how to adapt their product documentation to the Arabic language. Is it necessary to prepare local versions for Saudi Arabia, Morocco or Egypt, or can a single Arabic translation be valid for all countries?

Arabic is a Semitic language with several variants and dialects in the countries that make up the vast Arab world. Classical Arabic is considered the literary and religious standard, but there are many regional variations that differ in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar.

Some of the main ones are:

1. Classical Arabic: it is the oldest form and is found mainly in ancient religious and literary texts. It is used in the Koran and in more formal writing. It is also used in academic studies related to historical texts.
2. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA): it is a standardised form of Arabic used in the media, modern literature and education throughout the Arab world. It is a simplified and more accessible variety than classical Arabic, and has adopted new terms and expressions to incorporate emerging concepts in the contemporary world.
3. Gulf Arabic (e.g. Saudi Arabic and United Arab Emirates Arabic): it is spoken in the Persian Gulf countries and has some peculiarities in terms of pronunciation and vocabulary that distinguish it from standard Arabic.
4. Egyptian Arabic: it is spoken in Egypt and, due to the influence of Egyptian cinema, is spoken throughout the Arab world.
5. Maghrebi Arabic (e.g. Moroccan Arabic and Algerian Arabic): it is spoken in the Maghreb countries, which include Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania. Maghrebi Arabic has distinctive features in terms of pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary compared to standard Arabic.

These are just some of the variants of Arabic that exist. Its linguistic and cultural peculiarities contribute to the richness of this language.

Written Arabic appears mainly in two forms: Classical Arabic and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). The many regional dialects are predominantly spoken and are rarely used in formal writing. However, in informal contexts, such as on social networks or in personal messages, it is common for people to write in their dialects using the Arabic alphabet or even with transliterations into the Latin alphabet.

Modern Standard Arabic would be the recommended variety for a company considering translating its product documentation for Arabic-speaking markets. By choosing Modern Standard Arabic, it is generally not necessary to make local adaptations for each country.

What are sinistroverse languages?

Languages that are written from right to left are called sinistroverse. In English, they are known as right-to-left (RTL).

Examples of sinistroverse writing systems include:

• Arabic script: used in languages such as Arabic, Persian and Urdu.
• Hebrew alphabet: used in the Hebrew language.
• Syriac alphabet: used in the Syriac language.

These writing systems start on the right side of the page and move to the left.

One theory suggests that this way of writing originated due to the tools and media used in ancient times. Before the invention of paper, inscriptions were carved in stone. The craftsmen, mostly right-handed, held the chisel in their left hand and the hammer in their right, which made it easier to carve from right to left. This method allowed for greater precision and convenience in engraving. In addition, the Arabic script has its origins in ancient writing systems such as Aramaic and Phoenician, which were also written from right to left.

Image of an Arabic keyboard with QWERTY

What do I need to consider when adapting my content into Arabic?

It should be noted that the direction of the writing conditions the overall layout of the page, both in print and digital publications, so on pages translated from a European language into Arabic, the layout of the Arabic version is a mirror image of the original version in the Latin alphabet language.

This also affects software localisation, which requires program interface elements to be repositioned in a process known as "mirroring". And, of course, it also conditions the layout of brochures, catalogues or any publication whose design must be adapted when it is translated into RTL languages.

It should be noted that, although the general flow of the text is from right to left, in an Arabic text, there are also fragments that maintain the left-to-right direction typical of Latin character languages. For example, when there are references to numbers: if "2025" appears in a sentence, these four characters will flow from left to right. The same applies if a word written in a European language is included. For example, if the name of the company is mentioned, as global European or American companies do not usually transliterate their name in translations into non-Latin alphabet languages. This is why languages that are generally RTL are also known as BiDi or bidirectional, as they are essentially "Right-to-Left" but also include these "Left-to-Right" sections.

Wikipedia page in Spanish and Arabic. See the inverted position of the elements.

If you are considering taking your company's products to the large and emerging Arabic-speaking market, it is important to enlist the help of experts. Get in touch and we will be happy to help you.