"Goes a long way toward bridging the gap between Arabic Colloquial Dialects at the one end of the spectrum and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) at the other end, and with the addition of a number of key Levantine Colloquial vocabulary items, it allows learners who have a certain expertise in MSA to make use of that expertise appropriately and effectively ... Read moreas they pursue their daily lives in the Middle East." - Gerald E. Lampe, deputy director of the National Foreign Language Center and president of the American Association of Teachers of Arabic "This revised edition is sound in approach and cultural content; it enables academicians and professionals alike to acquire a spoken vernacular that transcends the boundaries of diverse Arabic dialects while carefully overcoming localisms - thanks to the authors' classroom-tested and adaptable materials and masterful approach that seamlessly weaves commonalities among spoken dialects into one learnable language variety." - Mohssen Esseesy, assistant professor and coordinator, Arabic Program, George Washington University" Show Less