“A research-based approach to learning beginner-level contemporary Egyptian Arabic that puts culture up front.”
As part of the Title VI grant that funds CERCLL, Mahmoud Azaz and Ayman Mohamed have authored El-Mumtaaz: Contemporary Beginning Egyptian Arabic (Georgetown University Press, 2025), a textbook that bridges the gap between traditional Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) instruction and the Arabic your students want to speak.
Built around ACTFL’s world readiness standards, authors Dr. Mahmoud Azaz (Director, University of Arizona Center for Middle Eastern Studies; University of Arizona Distinguished Fellow & Professor of Arabic Language, Linguistics, & Pedagogy) and Dr. Ayman Mohamed (Assistant Professor of Arabic; Linguistics, Language and Cultures; and Second Language Studies at Michigan State University) have created a systematic approach that takes beginners to Intermediate-Low proficiency while keeping culture at the forefront.
Digital-Age Relevance: El-Mumtaaz develops reading skills for digital Egyptian Arabic, preparing students for real-world social media interactions and online content.
Culture Through Humor: This textbook uses memes, jokes, and contemporary humor to teach pragmatics naturally. Your students will actually laugh while learning when to use formal vs. informal expressions.
El-Mumtaaz adapts to your curriculum needs whether you’re teaching:
- MSA-only courses (as a valuable supplement)
- Integrated MSA-dialect programs (seamless integration)
- Egyptian Arabic-focused classes (as a comprehensive standalone resource)
Through engaging themes like daily routines, food culture, social media etiquette, and contemporary Egyptian life, students develop practical skills across all four competencies. The authentic dialogues tackle real situations your students will encounter – from ordering koshari to navigating Egyptian humor.
Rich Multimedia Support:
Free streaming audio and video content means your students can practice authentic pronunciation and intonation outside class. No more hunting for quality Arabic listening materials!
These multimedia resources were funded by CERCLL’s Title VI Language Resource Center grant. They are free to access.
➣ To reach the audio-visual materials funded by CERCLL (accessible free), visit:
https://georgetownuniversitypresstextbooks.com/arabic/elmumtaaz/