I'm currently trying to learn (Levantine) Arabic and really struggling. The fact that there is Fus-Ha and then 4 main dialects is really annoying. I can take the time and effort to learn Fus-Ha and then not even be able to talk to someone in a country I visit. Or I can learn Levantine, and not be able to understand any news articles movies in Arabic, which will be either Fus-Ha or possibly another dialect. And what I've figured out is that I can even learn "Levantine", but that doesn't really apply in each country in the Levant. I am in Jordan, and a lot of the things I've learned from a Mango Languages Levantine course don't apply here. They speak a totally different dialect-Ammiya. And if I learn Ammiya, and then go to Lebanon, they will again have no idea what I'm saying to them.
People also say that Arabic is a very phonetic language once you learn the alphabet. I 100% disagree. I know the script, and it is not phonetic. There are hidden vowels that are not written. "Well, you need to know the diacritical marks and they will show you exactly how to pronounce the word". That's true, except no one uses them! A lot of print resources and subtitles do not use any diacritical marks. So I'm left with making a guess as to what hidden vowel exists and the correct pronunciation, but when I try to say a word, I get mostly blank stares. They have NO idea what I'm even trying to get at.
All of this is really frustrating and disheartening. I don't even know where to start. I am contemplating bailing because I simply don't know how to learn or progress. Help!
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