This is an interesting video containing footage of Lulu – an Arab-speaking parrot with a native-like accent!

It was trained by a Arab person from Abu-Dhabi, in UAE over a period of four years.

His trainer taught the parrot to greet visitors to his home with “Assalamu Alaikum السلام عليكم ” and to bid them farewell with “Massalamah السلامة”

Lulu knows some Ayahs (verses) from the Qur’an namely “Surah Ikhlas” and how to make dua (i.e. prayer) for Muslim men and women – specifically asking for them to have forgiveness from God.

He also knows how to say “In the name of Allah, the most gracious the most beneficial بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم ” and “God is Great الله أكبر “

What other words/expressions can you recognise?

How does he greet and bid farewell to his trainer’s guests?

What is the Arabic for “guests”?

When does LuLu usually offer his prayers?

How did LuLu pray for the deceased?

This second video clip shows another parrot who speaks Arabic with an asian accent. His owner, who is from Pakistan, trained the parrot to recite the Qur’an, especially Sura Al-Fatiha ( الفاتحة ) and Al-Ikhlas ( الإخلاص )

What other words/expressions can you recognise?

The first of its kind, the documentary film on Arabic heritage speakers “I Speak Arabic” is a timely contribution to the field of heritage language teaching and learning.

The film was created by Diana Scalera, who teaches Spanish to heritage students in New York City.

It features a diverse group of East Coast Arabic heritage language speakers, parents, instructors and two experts in the field of heritage language teaching and learning.

This film’s balanced combination of interviews with members of the community and teachers of Arabic heritage speakers on the one hand, and specialists in the field of heritage language on the other, makes it a valuable resource for both groups.

While the film is rich with personal stories, it also presents a coherent and accessible theoretical basis for understanding how heritage speakers learn.

Read more

Short clip from the movie

Watch the movie

Find out more

I speak Arabic

To purchase the film