Sacred Language, Ordinary People ― Dilemmas of Culture and Politics in Egypt

In the Arabic world, Classical Arabic is the language of both religion and the state, and as such is typically the language of formal written communication and publishing. But local Arabic dialects are often significantly different in terms of grammar, lexicon, and pronunciation than Classical Arabic. Such is the case with the Egyptian dialect of Arabic. In this innovative book, Niloofar Haeri looks at the complex interactions of these two dialects of Arabic in everyday life in Egypt, with a particular focus on the political, cultural, and religious struggles to modernize Classical Arabic. Based on extensive fieldwork in Egypt, the book includes analysis of such topics as: the role of Classical Arabic in religious education and everyday religious practice; the work of professionals in Egyptian secular publishing, who must adapt and correct the sacred language for profane uses; the use of “sacred” Classical Arabic in advertising. The book also speaks to contemporary interest in the anthropology of multiple modes of modernity and the new interest in the work and cultural role of intellectuals.