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11/5/1947 - 1st Term Oxford; Learning Arabic by Richard H. Nolte

Aghadoe Norham Grins Oxford England November Walter S Rogers Fifth Avenue New York N Y Dear Lr Rogers Thankyou comments October sending letter October I Mr Moe endorses initial estimate situation That letter returned herewith sequitur In Mr Moe expressed desire interest I sending serate cover Examination Stetutes revised which forth requirements degrees O It afford tailed knowledge expected This first which three weeks remaining I devote exclusively Arabic Lec tures Professor Gibb Dr Schacht hstory Islam usllm respectively course aeely occurrence theme something later letter But requlred preparation lectures Roman And forttmate I I study I Command match rather relentless instructor Arabic NAt Lewis Each Of eight others attending daily class advantage tensive acquaintance Xanguage related tongue Persian I apply myself But daily process attrition speak I beginning master complexities Arabic grammar vocabulary One encouraging things Mr Lewis Dr Schacht I tutorial weekly_ appear Something satisfied progress Classleal Arable complex affair least seems difficult European languages studio eludin Russian This partly charac Arabic phabet which consists consonants totally unrelated European script That consonant characters reprent matters there arevSral sound untrained duplications alphabet Further normal classical manuscript marks accompanying consonant indicate absence presence following vowel which there three generally omitted There abcording large amount saying language Arabi No tributd There other difficulties overcome learning Arsbic Which almost total cognates There urally enough extremely little common between classical trbic Aropean tongues therefore building Arabic vocab ulary proceed nothing relate structure oundation familiar wordsnmeanings And verbs There sound verbs unsound verbs correct doubled hamzate verbs assimilated hollow defective doubly verbs there quadrilateral verbs number special unctegorized verbs As enough these verbs parent fourteen derived And while certain general rules apply declension verbs differs others minor details which however learned Notwithstanding welter essentially mechanical difficul emerges Arab different Western thought processes cally there hence unsurmountable obstacles understanding Arab culture So dlscursus learning Arabic about I ought basis weeks acquintance During first I managed little rowing greater glory Queen College siderable pleasure myself As stroke Queen coxless IV races weeks I glory But I young ngllshmen chaps through media reciprocal Queen circle acquaintance knowledge English grows thoroughly enjoy process In probability I shall continue rowing Vlll while doing little coaching balance Item Vice Chancellor University Dr Stallybrass exceedingly I informed rather interrupt I beginning respects convey Moe In reply looked forwsrd seeing dinner Brasenose sometime SO0l You should shall family sometime Th interfere summec Near East should possibility materiallze Jeanne mother tentatively planned summer calls excuse My presence therefore mandatory beyond first weeks I mentioned Prof essor Gibb other seemed think We enjoyed Barntt first letters certKn presence thunderous events interes anything Kashmir raias executed under aegis Islam Here sample handiwork which appended th_wa_rm regards