Arab hospitality with its legendary generosity may not always be what it seems. Okay, most of the time it is - call Arabs what you like - terrorists (we’d rather you didn’t), racists, lazy…. but stingy they are not! Still, theirs is a slippery, sensitive culture that comes complete with its curious codes and cues that leave the true intention and meaning often lost on even the hardiest local.
Arabic is a flowery language riddled in customary catch-phrases. These obligatory rejoinders and complementary formulas are designed to distance and ‘kiss up’ in equal measure. Always polite and sometimes sickly sweet, Arabic phrases can serve to ward off bad intentions or vibes, save face and keep up appearances. This very multi-purpose may translate as insincere language, requiring guesswork to decipher quite where the truth lies in an indirect culture, obsessed with honor.
Confused? Try these 10 examples and let your mind boggle with the possibility of cross-purpose when faced with countless offers and invites from an insistent, guilt-inducing people. Use this guide to navigate the minefields of meaning and masked true intention in the world of Araby.
Disclaimer: Some earnest, kind, salt of the earth Arabs mean every word! Others are complicated and require decoding– for these, refer to the following guide to reading between those Arab lines!
