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I was not happy to hear about this. My heart goes out to all affected by this and all things like this.
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Feb 1, 2013 19:02
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Hey all, long time second time. I wanted to know if anyone could give me insight to one aspect of language testing. I am specifically proficent in a more gulf/iraqi dialect of arabic and am concerned that when my life comes to the point to where I can test I might have a phone interview with someone with a Levantine accent or even worse North Africa or MSA  Does anyone have any insight on this?
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Feb 10, 2013 02:50
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Continuous posted:When I took the Arabic language test a few years back, it was offered in MSA, Egyptian & Iraqi dialects. My exam was in the Egyptian dialect, and I'm pretty sure my examiner was a native Egyptian, so I imagine that the Iraqi test would have a native speaker. That is a relief to hear, I would be a fish out of water with MSA or Egyptian. Thank you.
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Feb 10, 2013 19:56
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the_chavi posted:From what I recall, you can test in MSA or Egyptian, those are the only two FSI-recognized variants of Arabic. If you are testing in Egyptian you get an Egyptian tester; otherwise you could have a tester from anywhere - Mauritania, Sudan, southern Turkey, Egypt, anywhere. Assuming you're not testing for Egyptian, then the tester will speak in MSA to you, albeit perhaps with the accent of their home country. A Moroccan tester won't test you in their crazy vowelless dialect, nor will a Lebanese tester stretch out every vowel sound to thirty letters long and drop French words in constantly. I learned to speak in the Iraqi dialect, slang and laziness and the accent and so on. I can read and understand MSA well, however I have a difficult time with understanding news broadcasts and the like.
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Feb 10, 2013 22:52
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Zoots posted:Slight addendum: when I started MSA training in 2009, they were offering training in Iraqi dialect due to the need at Embassy Baghdad. YMMV now, but I believe that was an option before. Thanks all for the info. It seems like I ought to either pick up Egyptain or MSA, ugh. What can be said about actual language use for FSOs? If I learn about how it is use might let me focus on the Egyptain dialect or MSA
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Feb 11, 2013 23:44
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Zoots posted:You're gonna groan, but IT DEPENDS. Such is the fate of what I've seen from people who have learned MSA- they have a hard time talking to the folks but seem to get all the credit of learning it. I'm just jealous. 
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Feb 13, 2013 00:39
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Zoots posted:Slight addendum: when I started MSA training in 2009, they were offering training in Iraqi dialect due to the need at Embassy Baghdad. YMMV now, but I believe that was an option before. Looks like at least for language points DoS is offering them for "ARABIC (ANY VARIETY)" since that language update in Nov '12. This puts me at ease.
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Feb 17, 2013 01:04
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| # ¿ Apr 28, 2024 20:51 |
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Dip - I hope that everything goes well with your future! I couldn't imagine taking a big step like that with family and what not. You are a goon hero in my book! I do have a question that you and others might be able to answer- I was wondering how day to day operations and "professionalism" are in comparison to being in the military, as I am getting ready to leave the global force for good.
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Mar 30, 2013 22:50
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