Why Learn Arabic, Persian, or Turkish?
Are you looking for some convincing reasons? Explore the Career Scope and Benefits of Studying West Asian Languages in India.
There are many advantages to acquiring a new language.
Of all the reasons to learn a language, study or work abroad, or migrate permanently to another country, jobs for language learners, cultural aspects, and learning as a hobby are primary motivators.
The West Asian languages, namely Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, are not always the first choice. Most prefer other options when deciding to learn an international language in India.
Why not popular choices like French, Spanish, and German, or maybe more ambitious and challenging languages such as Mandarin, Japanese, or Korean? After all, these languages seem to be the most practical foreign languages to learn these days.
Why choose less-taught languages like Turkish, Arabic, and Persian, which are not famous? Read along.
The Middle East and the countries that border it to the west—from Israel to Iran—and the entire Gulf area have become one of the most strategic places on Earth.
West Asia is a subregion of Asia, bordered by the seas and rich in oil and mineral resources.
The region and the entire Gulf account for 30% of the world’s oil supply. That makes it a highly strategic place of interest for various nations worldwide, particularly India.
The economic, investment, and career opportunities in languages in Western Asia make it appealing to learn one of the three major languages spoken in the region: Arabic, Persian, and Turkish.
Why Learn Persian in India?
Persian is the official language of Iran, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. It is an extended subgroup within the Indo-European language family. In its native Iran, it is also called “Farsi.”
It is widespread in Iran, but a variety of dialects also play an essential role in Tajikistan (where it is called “Tajik”) and Afghanistan (where it is called “Dari”).
Persian and Pashto are the most spoken Western and Eastern Iranic languages, respectively.
Persian is a language that has more than 62 million native speakers.
Another 50 million more speak it as a second language, and it’s among the world’s 25 most widely spoken languages.
Today, more than 150 million people worldwide speak Persian. This number includes people who speak Persian (Farsi, Dari, or Tajik) as their mother tongue.
It also includes students of a second or third language and students of all ages who do not live in Persian-speaking countries but have learned Persian.
“Arabic is a language, Persian is a sweetmeat, and Turkish is an art.”
— Persian proverb
4 Benefits of Learning the Persian Language
Let’s have a closer look at what you stand to gain.
1. Historical Benefits
Persian is the second most widely spoken language in the Middle East and an expression of an ancient civilization.
The ability to read Persian can help you understand a particular historical narrative.
It relates to Iran and the Middle East’s political, economic, and socio-ideological order.
2. Beautiful Poetry, Literature, and cultural aspects
The Farsi language is known for its exquisite poetry, rich literature, and diverse culture.
Scholars and eminent historians from Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, India, and the erstwhile Ottoman Empire have produced countless valuable pieces of literature, historical manuscripts, and poetry in Persian.
Many historical contents and scholarly literature are printed in Persian and used across modern culture, particularly in the Islamic world.
The major Persian epics and Sufi poets, such as Ferdowsi, Rumi, and Hafez, have inspired creators and writers worldwide.
In addition to literature, Iran produces entertaining Persian films for learners, beautiful paintings, intricate mosaics, exquisite tile work, and colorful rugs and carpets, to name a few.
3. Career options After Learning Persian
Learning to speak Persian in India gives you an advantage in securing employable positions at institutions or companies seeking to hire Persian-language experts.
Since Persian is a rare language, the ability to speak it is highly sought after by employers interested in the region.
Given the large number of Persian speakers, there is consistently high demand for interpretation and translation work, especially in the freelance market.
With growing India-Iran relations, fluency in Persian benefits trade in both exports and imports.
4. Business & Economic Opportunities
Iran is the second-largest economy in the Middle East. It holds the fourth-largest oil reserves and the second-largest natural gas reserves in the world.
More than 100 million people who speak Persian are spread across multiple countries.
That means you can tap into a massive investment market. Sectors like oil, gas, engineering, import and export, and tourism are excellent ways to monetize your proficiency in Farsi, Tajik, or Dari.
Whatever your reasons for learning Persian, you will find it is a worthwhile experience.
How Difficult Is Persian?
Persian is melodic, aesthetically pleasing, and one of the world’s most beautiful languages.
The Persian alphabet is phonetic, and there are many innovative workarounds for learning Persian.
While not among the easiest languages, Persian is relatively simple in terms of grammar.
The Persian language uses many prefixes and suffixes, and adding them creates new words.
According to FSI research, Persian is rated as a complex language to learn (4/5). This is due to differences in pronunciation and writing conventions.
The complication, however, fades once you see it as simple. We all learn differently, at different paces, and use distinct methods.
Language learning takes time. And Persian, like Arabic or Turkish, is no exception.
- Speaking: moderately tough
- Writing: somewhat hard
- Overall: somewhat difficult
Why Learn Turkish in India?
Turkish is the most popular Turkic language.
Turkish is a language spoken by more than 80 million people, most of whom reside in Turkey.
It also has a sizable speaking population in Germany, Greece, and other countries that border Turkey.
A variant of the Turkic language (of the same family) is also beneficial in Afghanistan, Turkmenistan (Turkmen), Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani), China (Uyghur), Uzbekistan (Uzbek), Kazakhstan (Kazakh), and Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz).
Turkey’s geostrategic position connects Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
Modern Standard Turkish is based on the dialect of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city.
Turkey is the 17th-largest economy in the world and is growing steadily. Turkish is becoming more influential and advantageous in international business, trade, and political affairs.
4 Advantages of Studying Turkish
Let’s review the benefits of learning Turkish.
1. Business & Investment Opportunity
Turkey has a robust, newly industrialized economy with one of the fastest-growing private sectors globally. In 2018, Turkey and India’s bilateral trade volume crossed $8 billion.
Many companies are expanding into Turkey for business and investment.
Since very few non-Turks speak Turkish in India, proficiency in the language will make you an in-demand specialist possessing a rare skill.
2. Travel/Tourism
Turkey has exotic cities and gorgeous coastlines that offer a perfect getaway vacation for travelers seeking a private sanctuary.
Beautiful, sunny beaches, mystical natural landscapes, calm, serene seas, and compelling ancient ruins are all worth visiting.
In addition, Incredible mountains, ancient castles, transcontinental cities, breathtaking architecture, and booming markets that attract millions to the country make Turkish an excellent choice for you to learn.
It’s a fascinating history, and the stunning landscape has enough to impress anyone.
3. Transcontinental Cultural Excellence
Unlike other Arab and Middle Eastern countries, Turkey is a unique blend of East and West. It is the only nation in the world whose capital (Istanbul) lies in both Europe and Asia.
The country offers a hybrid culture that combines the best of Turkish Asia’s psychedelic folk songs, belly dance, and more with elements of its Western culture.
It will also give you unfiltered access to rich Turkish literature, delicious cuisine, and world-class Turkish language cinema if you know the language.
4. Job Opportunities After Learning Turkish
Proficiency in Turkish can significantly benefit anyone doing business with Turkish companies or planning to work in Turkey.
Many Turkish business groups are exploring opportunities in India.
Speaking, writing, and reading Turkish in India can open many doors to employment opportunities. It can make you an in-demand language specialist in BPO, Translators and interpreters, Turkish language teachers, and many more.
Difficulty Level of Turkish
Turkish has no direct relationship with English in terms of grammar and vocabulary. It is more challenging to learn than German and French.
Its structure is subject-object-verb (SOV), like Japanese, German, Spanish, or French.
However, the language uses a Latin-based alphabet similar to English, making it an excellent place to learn a new language.
Turkish is also a phonetic language; learning the alphabet is enough to pronounce words correctly, with a few exceptions.
- Learning: slightly difficult
- Speaking: somewhat difficult
- Writing: moderately difficult
- Overall: somewhat difficult
Why Learn Arabic in India?
Arabic is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages, and the number of Indians learning it is increasing.
Arabic is spoken by more than 430 million native and non-native speakers in more than 20 countries, with the largest population in the Middle East and North Africa.
Arabic is known as the language of the holy Koran.
Arabic is the official language of Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Bahrain, the UAE, Yemen, and more.
4 Benefits of Learning the Arabic Language
Let’s have a look at the advantages.
1. Cultural link
Speaking a foreign language provides insights into the cultures where it is spoken.
If you know Arabic, you will learn about the Arab world, the Muslim religion, and some enjoyable Arabic films.
One of the most compelling reasons to learn Arabic in India is the cultural link to many Indian languages.
Many Arabic words and idioms are part of India’s Urdu and Hindi languages, which will be handy for you.
You will explore a range of cultural links between Arabic and India.
2. Career Scope After Learning Arabic
Arabic is a perfect opportunity for Indians to get jobs in the Middle East and other parts of the world where it is useful.
Indians who speak Arabic and English are well-positioned to succeed in their careers at companies operating in the Middle East and beyond.
Careers you can pursue in Arabic include translation, interpretation, editing, research, transcription, and more.
3. Strategic Importance
Arabic helps you understand the Middle East’s vital importance, its large concentration of natural and mineral resources, and its role in the global economy.
The US, China, Russia, France, and other nations are collectively active in the region, with India showing fundamental interest.
It enables learners to secure employment at foreign embassies or with the Indian immigration service.
Is Arabic Difficult To Learn?
Contrary to popular belief, Arabic is not a difficult language to learn.
Only three Arabic sounds are absent from English; they can be practiced consistently.
Nevertheless, Arabic has an immense vocabulary, and it’s challenging only to the extent of what you think it is.
- Learning: somewhat difficult
- Speaking: difficult
- Writing: difficult
- Overall: difficult
Final thought
West Asian languages shape life, culture, and economic importance in the Middle East and the Arab world.
Suppose you wish to learn a new language or have a reason to pick Arabic, Persian, or Turkish. It can be a gratifying experience, and you could surely enjoy learning it.
Many universities and colleges in India offer courses in Persian, Arabic, and Turkish.
You can also become proficient in these languages by hiring a private teacher or studying them through a language institution. I can assist you with any questions.