A Short Guide to Syria

8/4/2019 A Short Guide to Syria

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F or ' u se o f ; \tJ ili ta ry P er so nn el 01l1y. Not tobe republished, in whole or in part, tvithout

th e consent of the W ar D epartment.

Washlnaton, P. c.

A SHORT GUIDE TO

S Y R I A

P rep are d b yFONDREN LIe RAR'r

S uthern M eth ad 1 S t U niv~rs i tyn#V ,TEXAS

SPECIAL SERVICE DIVISION, SERVICES OF SUPPLYUNITED STATES ARMY WAR AND NAVY DEPARTMENTS


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A S H O R T G U ID E T O S Y R IA

C O N T E N T SIntroduction .Ancient Land-Holy LandThe Syrians .The Arabic Language .Getting Along With the SyriansClimate and Sanitary Conditions .Currency, Weights, and Measures.Some Important Do's and Don'ts ,Hints on Pronouncing Arabic .Useful Words and Phrases.A Glossary


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"If you give, give plenty; andIf you strike, strike hard."

Syrian Proverb

YOUR UNIT has been ordered to Syria. Soon yobe standing on the shores of a sea or on a desert whas played a great part in world history.You, all American soldier, arc now one of the cou

fighting men, over the past two thousand years, whotramped across this neck of land connecting EuropeAsia. Alexander the Great, Caesar, Napoleon-allstruggled on this land for world dominion.Here two great religions-Christianity and Judai

sprang up. Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, Roman,ish and European civilizations have left a mark on Ssparsely inhabited lands. And for three centuries,of Crusaders from Europe fought the Saracens for psion of this Holy Land.You arc in Syria to fight-and to win-against Hwho seeks world domination. And a big pan of


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job is to make friends for your cause-s-because this isa war of ideas, just as much as of tanks, planes andguns.You're here to prevent Hider from taking over this

strategic land. He's tried once and probably will again.That's why the Free French and the British occupiedSyria in July I941.Under the League of Nations, France was given a

mandate over Syria after World War 1. When Francesurrendered in World War II, German "tourists" beganto filter into the desert. Then the British and Free Frenchacted to protect the oil fields and pipe lines and guard this"land bridge" to Asia.Your coming wiH be welcome to Syrians. In fact, at

the end of the last war, Syria sought to be placed underAmerican mandate protection. And, too, many Syrianshave been educated at the American University at Beirut.So, you are in a friendly country and you won't havemuch trouble making friends, if you use ordinary horsesense in your dealings with the people of this land. But,with the best intentions in the world, you're likely tomake serious mistakes, it you don't learn a liul some-thing about S yrians and their ways of dO/TJg things. Thispamphlet will help to give you a quick picture of Syriawhich may make it easier to get along.6

T h i s lsa W a r o f I d ea s . One of the ways to beat thein Syria, and in other parts of the Moslem world,convince the people that the United Nations are tfriends. From the outbreak of this war, AXLsnationstried, through their propaganda machines, to kindlreligious war of Moslems against Christians. They ho[0spread a fire of hate from Turkey and Arabia allway across the North African coast. Their plansfailed because the Moslems, deeply religious, knowthe Nazi return to heathenism is a threat to their religas well as to others.By showing your understanding of Moslem chara

and custom, by your own conduct in your relationsthe Syrian people, you can maintain the good reputathat Americans already enjoy. And you can, in aeffective way, take the poison out of Nazi propagand


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ANCIENT LAND-HOLY LAND

WHEN you stand on the shores of Syria, with your backto the Mediterranean, you will be looking eastward acrossthe great "land bridge" between Europe and Asia. Acrossit, for centuries, came caravans carrying silks, spices, andthe jewels of the Orient to the western world.We're a bit spoiled now. In about [2hours a ship may

go through the roo-mile ditch in the sand. the Suez Canal,and start on through the Red Sea to India. And that ditchwas opened only in November r869, after nearly IO yearsof hard work by the French engineer, del.esseps.Before then, and since the days of the Phoenicians, the

long, dangerous, costly route was from Syria, throughIraq down the Persian Gulf to India. Then Sidon was thegreat Eastern Mediterranean port from which the Phoeni-cian traders sailed to the Atlantic and even to Britain.Today, Sidon and its sister city Tyre are only small portson the Levant Coast. In their place is Beirut (bay-socr-)tbe leading Syrian port, followed by Tripoli and Latakia(lat-tah-KEE-ya) .

T h e C o a s ta l C i ti e s . In these thriving cities, you'll see a fewprincipal avenues, thronged with every kind of peopleof the Near East-merchants and fishermen, boatmenand camel drivers, talking several different languages.8

The people you'll meet are shrewd and well-informas most trading peoples are, with a variety of mannerscustoms, picked up here and there.Beirut is a particularly cosmopolitan city, the sea

American University, an American Christian schoolhas had considerable influence in the spread of educathroughout Syria.Latakia, despite its shops, hotels, movies, restauran

and bathing beaches, is still a typical Syrian tOWIl.tiny stores are like cubby-holes in a wall and theytheir goods in flat platter-like baskets which arehigh with oranges, olives, or dates. Latakia is famousAmerica because it gives to us some of the finest tobin the world, used to flavor American brands.


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T he O ld e s t C it y i n t h e W o r ld . Back of the LebanonMountains, to the east, is a wide valley, and back of thatthe Anti-Lebanon range, marking the end of the fertilecoastal section and the beginning of the desert. But here,like a "green island" in the desert, is Damascus, reputed tobe the oldest city in the world, dating back to more than2,000 years before Christ. Called the "Pearl of the Desert,"it is a beautiful city, with thousands of white houses, greatorchards and gardens, high-domed mosques, and palacesand bazaars, thronged with a motley crowd of Armenians,Greeks, and Arabs, and donkeys, camels, goats, and sheep.Sweetmeat sellers and auctioneers fill the thoroughfares

with their noise and stir; eating shops are bedlam and thebazaars crowded. There the dukkans (duk-KAAN)(stores) are piled to the ceiling with calicos, muslins, andsilks. On small, ro-foot platforms, in front of eachdukkan sit the merchants, cross-legged. Coffee sellers passup and down, offering their wares. Merchants furnishtheir customers with cigarettes and coffee free, and gossipis always going---on crops or politics .or what not.The great meeting place for the Moslems in Damascus

is the famous Mosque--once a heathen temple, then aChristian church, and later held jointly by Moslem andChristian. Since the 8th Century A. D., it has beenMo lern but still contains the shrine of John the1 0

Baptist, revered alike by Christian and Mo~lem peopIt is one of the most magnificent structures III .the woCostly rugs cover its vast stone floor and Its roosupported by marble pillars.


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THE SYRIANS

You'll see :I lot of the cities and their people, but it's thedesert and the desert folk that give flavor to the land.THE desert Arab, or tribesman, has few necessitiesbeyond coffee, sugar, and tobacco. Even on feast days heeats astonishingly little, and when no guest is present,bread and a bowl of camel's milk is about all he re-quires-and he can make long marches on that simplefare. It is said that the Bedouin (BED-win) is never with-out hunger. But when a notable guest is in camp, a sheepmust be killed and a bountiful meal of mutton, curds, andliaps of bread is the order of the day.More than 250,000 Bedouins roam the desert fringes

in Syria with their herds of camels and huge flocks ofsheep searching for pasture. You'll be able to recognizethe Bedouin by his Howing robes, his long head scarf and,frequently, by his long side curls.D e se rt F a rm e rs . Less romantic perhaps than the Bed-ouin or the warlike Jebel Druze (JE-bel oaooz ) are thefarmers, but they form the bulk of the 3 V I millions ofpeople of Syria-Lebanon. They do a remarkably efficientjob in getting what they do out of it. The average farmerjust manages to sustain his family, and has little left over.1 2

. .Rural incomes in Syria average about $8 0 a year, deare always large and mortgages heavy. .Mostly the farmers live in small, compact villages baround springs or ncar other sources of water. To ytheir merhods may seem primitive, but at least one Amican consen'ation expert has said that their methodterracing fields is one of the finest exam ples of sO.ilservation in the world. And their wooden plow ISsuited to the shallow, stony soil they have to work.A brge proportion of these desert farmers are shcroppers or tenants, the land they till being hel.d by llords who sometimes control several or more Villagesvast acres o f cultivable land.

Trans/ation-THERE IS NO CONQUEROIl BUT GOD


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THE ARABIC LANGUAGESOME Syrians speak English, or at least a little English,but the native language is Arabic and you will need toknow a linle of it to get


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by treating them politely, and by being careful never tooffend them through carelessness or ignorance.C o u r t e s y . The Syrians make a good deal of courtesyand politeness. If a man should kiss your hand or raise hisfingers to his lips after shaking hands with you, don'tlaugh. It is his way of paying you a compliment.Americans slap each other on the back and jostle each

other in fun. Syrians do not. Avoid handling them anddo not try to wrestle with them. Even i you think youknow them well, do not touch their bodies in any way.Above ail, NEVER STRIKE A SYRIAN. They do not knowhow to box. You might think you were JUSt sparring andknock a man down or even injure him. They would becertain to misunderstand it and word would spread rap-idly, as it does among people who don't read and whorely on gossip for information, that Americans hit peopleon the jaw. Besides, it is dangerous. Syrians, like mostpeople of this desert world, know how to use knives.Never ge~ angry at these people. It is one thing to issueorders and get them carried out; it is another to rub thepeople the wrong way. Save your fighting for the enemy.You're here to fight witll these people against the Axis.M a n n e rs , P r iv a t e . Syr ians, like most orientals, pay muchattention to good manners. Moslems do not let other peo-1 6

pie see them naked. Do not ~ri.nate in their presenThey do this squatting and dislike to. s_ee others dostanding up. These things may seem trivial, but theyimportant.M a n n e r s, P u b li c . You will find it difficult sometimesdistinguish manners from religio~s pr~c~ices. Manyian customs are religious in their onglO. Moslemstheir religion far more intensely than most of usBegin by watching them carefully.Social customs enter into not only your personaltions with Syrians you have met, but all public act!vi

such as buying in the bazaars, eating and drinkingpublic places. and the relations to women. Learnforms of address on meeting people and use them.Understand that bargaining when making a purc

is customary. I is part of the social life of these peThey do not trade just for the money, but to me.etpeople, learn their ways, practice their own skills


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judg~ent~. To bargain intelligently is to show under-standing J1l values. They may treble the price they expectyou to pay. If you pay it, they know you don't know tbereal values. But bargain politely. Most of these tradesmenknow each other well and treat one another as host dguest. Friendships result from trade In the I "an. d" . arger westerOl~e shops, there is usually a fixed price. So, youwon t have to haggle with them.Hosp~lal~ty. The result of such contacts may yield youhospitality and friendship. It is customary for tradesmro ff .. rn0, er customers coffee and cigarettes. Do nor refuse.Don t leave your coffee half drunk. Should you be offereda second and even a third, take it. But it is consideredbad form to accept a fourth cup. If you take a fourth 0refuse a. seco.nd 01 " a third, your host will put you d~w~as wanting In manners. This may seem absurd to you.So what? Your customs seem just as absurd to hiim1 8

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, as the sayingbeen for thousands of years.A few things to remember about Moslem Syrians isthey do not eat pork and they do not drink liquor. Tis a religious matter. Don't ask why. Respect it. Ysee something about this religious question later. Asocial matter, politeness demands that you accept tthings without question. So do not drink liquor inpresence. It offends them, especially, to see anyone drEve11 as a joke, don't offer or urge them to drink lior eat pork.A few rules are essential. ever touch the foodyour host has said grace ("Bismillah") and then nohe has told you to. Eat only with your right hmld-iconsidered very rude to use the left, even if yousOUlhpaw. Do not cut native bread with a knife. Bit with your fingers. A servant will come alongbasins and water for all to wash their hands after dW o m e n . You will not find Moslem women in thepany. Ladies generally remain hidden. It depends lon who your host is, of course. But among Moslemticularly, women do not mingle freely with mengreater part of their time they spend at home andcompany of their own families. It is considered


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serious breach of manners to even Inquire about thewomen. So even if you are invited to a home, you willnot sec much of the Women.Tn public, many Moslem women go veiled. If a woman

has occasron to lift her veil while shopping, do not stareat her. Look the other way Do not 10'[ h 1 er near t emw~en at the bazaars. Do not try to photograph them. ItWIll cause trouble.~ever m~ke advances to Syrian women Or try to gettheir altentlon on the streets or other public places. The

desert or \'IlJage women may seem to have more freedombut they do not. Any advances on your part are sure toI,:e~~>troub~e, and plenty of it. Syrians will immediatelydls~)ke you I f you do not treat their women according totheir standards and customs.These rule~are important. Don't make a pass at any

tuoman, It Will cause trouble. And anyway, it won't get

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you anywhere. Prostitutes do not walk the streets,have special quarters.R e l i g i o n . Questions regarding religion are :.IS distasteto Syrian Moslems as are questions regarding women. Iwell to atloid allY kind of religious discussion or argumeTwo-thirds of the Syrians are Moslems, and the

maining third are Christian. The Moslem communitymore or less set off by itself and recognized by its veiwomen, the sombre, dignified aspect of the men andtheir mosques. The distribution of Moslems and Chtians is roughly according to the boundaries of Syria aLebanon. Lebanon is mostly Christian, while Syriamostly Moslem.Both the Moslem and Christian groups are broken

into subdivisions or sects. One of the more importaMoslem sects are the Druze. The Druze live in a sedesert section in the south part of Syria called Jebel DruThey keep very much to themselves, are a proud areserved people, and are noted for their daring abravery in warfare.The Moslems follow the religion founded by M

hammed. Do not call it the Mohammedan religion,they do not worship Mohammed as Christians worsChrist. Mohammed is not God. Allah is God, and M


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hammed only His prophet. The religion is called Islamand the people who follow it are called Moslems. ThereaIC five fundamental principles of Islam;I. One God, and Mohammed the PROPHET.2. Prayer five times a day.3 Giving of alms.4 Fast of Ramadan.5 Pilgrimage to Mecca.Moslems pray five times a day no matter where they

are at the moment of prayer. They bow in tbe directionof Mecca in Arabia, the holy ciry of the Moslems. Atthe ~o.sque (mos~) they bow in prayer which consistso~.r~CltlUgpassages from [he Koran, which is their Bible.Giving of alms isa religious practice.22

All true Moslems observe a month of fasting caRamadan. This period is similar to our Lent. In 1Ramadan begins September I2. In 1943 , it will be ab2 weeks earlier. During this period the Moslems doeat, drink, or smoke between sunrise and sunset. Dooffer them food, or ask them to drink or smoke exafter dark. Respect all hesitations or refusals withpersuasion. Any drawing of blood at this time is toavoided. Even an accidental scratch or nosebleedIlicted on a Moslem by an unbeliever may have serconsequences. Remember that the Moslems' tempersshort during the strains of this month. They cannotexpected to work efficiently. So go easy on them. Resthe observance of their holiday.Steer clear of mosques. Never smoke or spit nea

mosque. To repeat a warning-avoid any kind ofgious discussion or argument. After all, we are fighthis war to preserve the principle of "live and let liveM e c ca , The fifth important ritual of Moslem religiothe pilgrimage to Mecca. So vital is this to Moslemsthe railroad from Damascus to Mecca, in Arabia, stain 1901 and completed in 1909, was built entirely fsubscriptions by the faithful from all over Islam to m


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easier the pilgrimage to the holy city. No "unbeliever"is ever permitted to enter Mecca.

H o w t o G e t A lo ng in th e V il la g es . On entering a village orfarming district, there are definite rules of procedure inregard to introductions. No matter how small the detach-ment, the leader should find out whether or not the areais controlled by a landlord, called a "ma!ik il-ard" ( M A A -lik il-ARD). If so, he should call on the landlord and seekhis cooperation and friendliness. If the area is controlledby an absentee landlord, find out who is his representative" k j" ( ) ,or wa ee wa-KEEL and make yourself known tohim.Every village, whether or not it is controlled by a land-

lord, has its mayor, who is called the "rnukhtar" (rnukh-T/dfR). On entering a vi IIage, the leader should introducehimself to the mayor and call at his house. If he cannotfind the lIlayor, he should make himself known to theeldest man in the village, or to the priest in a Christianvillage, or the "imam" (i-MMM) or "sheikh" (SHAYKH) ina Moslem village.You can usually tell a Christian village from a Moslem

village by the simple method of observing whether thevillage P?ssesses a church or a mosque. A mosque alwayshas a rrunaret or tower from which prayers are called.2 4

If you find both a mosque and a church in a village,will know that the community is composed of both Chtians and Moslems. In all probability, each group haown section of the village. If you find yourself i n onthese communities, be careful not to favor one group mthat the other. If you buy goods, for instance, be surpatronize both groups. Treat the priest and sheikhequal respect.The friendliness and cooperation you will get dep

largely on your dealings with the influential citizwho have been mentioned-the landlord, baili.ff, masheikh, or priest. They are the persons with the mauthority and are the respected members of the cmuniry. A ll transactions regarding supplies, quarters,should be carried on through them. To disregard tlocal leaders would be considered a serious breachSyrian etiquette and would incur [he ill will of the w


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community. So treat the local leaders with respect at alltimes and entertain them whenever possible. Anotherhelpful person is the village watchman, the "natour"(NAA-Toon). The watchmen are usually well informedon the local geography and gossip. They are often the .firstto know of unusual happenings and can thus be very use-ful to you. But remember that it is the watchman's busi-ness to be suspicious of strangers. Therefore you must winhis trust before he is willing to help you. A suspiciouswatchman will often give you false information purposely.This also holds true of the local leaders if they mistrustyou. At all times it is to your advantage to make friends!Here arc a fe w things to remember inwinning the friend-ship of the villagers:Respect village property. Keep to paths and roadways.

Do not enter cultivated fields or take fruits and vege-tables from orchards and gardens. Villagers depend onthese crops for their living. Their margin of reserve isvery slim. Do not gather fuel without permission. {t alsois limited. Each and every tree has its owner and wood-lots are sometimes the property of the village. Sometimesthe groves are considered holy and no person may touchthe wood. It is even considered improper to sit under theshade of a tree. The Syrians themselves mostly use driedanimal dung for fuel. Learn to use this.2 6

H o w T o G e t A lo n g in th e D e s e r t . IE you are in the _dremember that every bit of land is the property atspecific group of tribesmen. The leader of yourshould discover to what tribe or group the land be

and seek out and pay a on the sheik~ or heaAlways try to obtain permission befor~ raking watedesert wells. The Syrians have complscated waterNever be wasteful of water. It is their most valuabsession. It is likely to be yours, too.


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The tribesmen admire courage and resourcefulness.Let them see that you have these qualities ..They will begra.teful of any generosity you can show them, such asa . lift ~!ong the road: Whenever possible, give the menand .chlldre~ empt~ tins or other items you :an part with.A discarded gasoline can, for example, is considered aproud possession. -

"Rain is aMercy from God"-Arab proverb

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CLIMATE AND SANITARY CONDITIONSTHE climate of the coastal portion of Syria is a goodlike that of Southern California. The winters are cbut not cold, with some rain, while the summerswarm and sunny. Oronge and olive groves abound.Back of the coastal plains stand the Iorestcd Leba

},lou nta ins (remember the ceda rs of Lebanon inBible?) which are covered with snow in th e wiSkiing is a new and popular spOrt here.Inthe valley or "central depression" between the L

non and Anti-Lebanon mountains, the climate is swhat drier than the coast, and irrigation is often nsary. The winters are colder and Lhe summers warThis valley, however, is fertile and well cultivaWheat and other cereals are its principal crops.Unlike the forested Lebanons, the Anti-Lebanon r

is bleak and barren, without much rainfall. It is a fiapproach to the desert, which stretches eastwardits foothills. Though this desert occupies by far the g.eportion of Syria, it is only sparsely inhabited in comson with the rest of the country, because of its unfrienand untertile character. Yet the Syrian desert is notthe great Sahara desert in Africa, all sand and wastelbut more like the deserts of the southwestern Un


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~ , . . . , ! Y d,- ' "States-a stony soil covered with light vegetation, lJ d ~ith h If' lv frecuent i 1 / ' 1 1 1 \ 'WI water 0 es at au y requent mterva s. IIn a strategic way, the desert is perhaps the most j t L

portant p a r t of Syria to the United Nations, beca~~~across it run the great pipelines from the oil fields ofIraq to the Mediterranean, and also because of its positionas the gateway to Persia and India beyond.S a n it a ry C o n d i t i o n s . In general, Syria is a healthful COUD-try. It even hopes some day to become known as thehealth resort of the Mediterranean. Still, sanitary condi-tions in many parts of the country are not like thosewe are accustomed to, and certain precautions must notbe neglected. A little knowledge may help to avoidserious illness.Keep your hat on when you are in the summer sunin Syria. In this kind of a climate it is very easy to letyourself be burned and think nothing of it. But nextday you are likely to wake up with black blisters andpossibly fever and delirium. It is not necessary to weara sun helmet; a service hat is usually sufficient. But what-

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ever you wear, be sure that it shades the hack of yneck as well as the top of your head. It you exposeback of your neck you are inviting sunstroke. Proyour eyes too.In the desert, be prepared for extremes of temperatThe days are very hot. The nights can be very cold.Boil your drinking water or see that it is prop

chlorinated. There is adequate pure water in the cof Beirut and Damascus (though not the openwater in the latter city, which isimpure).Avoid eating unwashed lettuce and other rawwashed vegetables. They may be contaminated by hu

excrement. Outside the cities, little progress hasmade in sanitation. Wash raw fruits or peel them beating them, because the skins may have becometaminated by Hies or by human contact. Keep allaway from flies.If you keep to these rules you will have a good chof avoiding typhoid, paratyphoid, and dysentery+-allmon diseases in Syria. If you do get dysentery or diarrcut your diet and include plenty of "leben" (LE-Leben is a sour milk product and is one of the most heful dishes of the country. Itcan be mixed with waterdru nk as a cooling drink. You will find it easy to oand it will relieve dysentery.


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o 3

oMeshed

I'

No Kermon

Io Medina


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Do not drink unboiled milk at any time.Ialaria is quite prevalent in Syria. It is carried by aparticular kind of mosquito which breeds in marshyareas, uncovered wells and cisterns, and in shallow waterpools along the seacoast. If at all possible, stay away fromareas where malaria is common. When you can't do this,sleep under nets and keep your arms and legs covered,especially at dusk.Sandflies, which are smaller than mosquitoes and

which can get through an ordinary mosquito net carrya slight three-day fever which is not serious but is weak-ening. I t is known as sandAy fever. Sandflies are mostprevalent in midsummer. Coating yourself with a lightoil will give you some protection from them.Venereal disease is fairly widespread in Syria. Don't

take chances.These are some general health suggestions. Yom medi-

cal and sanitary officerswill give you others.

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CURRENCY, WEIGHTS, MEASURES, E.TC.

S y r ia n C u r r en c y . The rate of exchange of Syrian mto United States currency varies, so that the table bcan only give approximate ratios. The principal uncurrency is the Syrian pound, which is worth 46American money and is divided into 100 "piastres"AS-tul"z) or "irsh" (the Arabic word for piastre).approximate values of the various piastre pieces are gbelow. An easy way to remember Syrian currencythink of each piastre as being worth just about haan American cent.1 pound (100 pitlstres)=46

U. s .50 p;t1rITt'


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below will give you the approximate rates at exchange ofthe various mil pieces.1 pound (1,000 mil.r)=$4.00U. S.J(){) mi!s=40r U. S.50 1 I111 .


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Start eating only after your host has begun.Eat with your right hand-e-never with your left, even

iiyou are a southpaw.Always break bread with your fingers-never cut it.Bread to the Moslems is holy. Don't throw scraps of it

about or let it fall on the ground.Leave some rood in the bowl-what you leave goes to

the women and children.Eat only part of the first course-there may be four

or Five more coming.Don't give Ioslerns food containing pork, bacon orlard, or cooked in pork products.Don't eat pork or nork products in front of Moslems.Be pleasant if Moslems refuse to eat meat which you

offer. They may consider it religiously unclean.Don't give Moslems alcoholic drinks.Drink liquor somewhere else-never in the presence of

Moslems.Knock before entering a house. H a woman answers,

wait until she has had time to retire.Follow the rule of your host. If he takes off his shoes

on entering the house, do the same.If you are required to sit on the floor in a Syrian houseor tent, cross your legs while doing so.

When visiting, don't overstay your welcome. Theglass of tea or coffee is the signal to leave unless yoquartered there.Don't bring a dog into the house.Be kind to beggars. They are mostly honest u

tunates. Give them some small change occasionally.When you see grown men walking hand in h. .Ignore It. They are not "queer."Be kind and considerate to servants. The Syrians

a very democratic people.Avoid any expression of race prejudice.Talk Arabic if you can to the people. No matter

badly you do it, they like it.Shake hands on meeting and leaving.On meeting a Syrian, be sure to inquire after

health.If you wish to give someone a present, make it sw

or cigarettes.If you are stationed in the country, it is a good ide

take sweets and cigarettes with you when you visSyrian's house.Show respect toward all older persons. If serving f

the oldest person should be erved first.Be polite. Good manners are essential among

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Syrians. Be hospitable to Syrians whenever possible. Donor turn away callers. Serve them coffee or tea.Bargain on prices. Don't let shopkeepers or merchantsovercharge you; but be polite.Be generous with your cigarettes.Above all, use common sense on nil occasions. Andremember that every American soldier is an unofficialambassador of good will.

HINTS ON PRONOUNCING ARABICTI-fESE are pronunciation hints to help you in listenito the Arabic language records which have been suppl[0 your troop unit. They will also help you withpronunciation of additional words and phrases giventhe vocabulary below, which are not included inrecords.Arabic is spoken over a great area in North Africa a

the Near East. There are some differences betweengions, both in pronunciation and the use of words. Tdialect and words you are going to hear on this setrecords arc Syrian and Palestinian and you will bederstood in Syria and Palestine and in the citiesTrans-Iordania and in Cairo and the Egyptian Dregion. If you should go on to other regions, where ovarieties of Arabic are spoken, you will be given furtinformation at that time. Don't worry about that nThere is nothing very difficuJt about Arabic-exce

that you won't be able to read Arabic signs and nepapers you will see. That is because they use a differalphabet hom ours. Therefore, the instructions and voulary below are not based on the written Arabicguage, but are a simplified system of representinglanguage as it sounds. This system contains lettersall the sounds you must make to be understood. It d

4 0


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not contain letters for some of the sounds you will hear,but it will give you enough to get by on, both listeningand speaking.Here are a few simple rules to help you:1. Accents. You know what the accented syllable of

;) word is, of course. It is the syllable which is spokenlouder than the other syllables in the same word. Wewill show acc en t ed (loud) syllables in capital letters andunaccented syllables in small letters.

2. Vowels. These are the kind of sounds we representin English by a, e, i, 0, u, ah, fly, ei, oi, etc. Just followthe key below and you will have no trouble.a or A equals

AA equal,AH equalsAI equalsAY equals

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AU equalsc or E equalsEE equalsior I equalsD equal,00 equal,u Or U equalsuh or UI-I equals

the OtV in nora, (Example: AUwol m"first".')the ,. in pet. (Example: WE-led m"bOl")the ~t: in /e


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sh is like the sh in shaw.(') i to be pronounced like: a slight cough. Listen carefully lor il

on the records, Whenever it is Indicated. J>ronou?c~ IIc",arl~"but do nOI pronounce it even accidentally where I[ IS not indi-cared, or you will be misunderstood.i s a lwa ys pronounced lik e the s in hiss,

LIST OF MOST USEFUL WORDS AND PHRASESHERE is a list of the most useful words and phraseswill need in Arabic, You should learn these by hThey are the words and phrases included on the Arlanguage records, and appear here in the order they oon the records,

GrHtln.11 lind Gener,,1 Phr,,_

English-Simpli/ied Arabic SpellingGood da),-na-HAA-rak sa-'EEDGood ""'ming-MA-sal KHAYRSir-yo SEE-d;Madam-ya SITMiss-AA-ni:!aPlease (to a man)-m;n-FUHD-lakPlease (to a woman)-min-FUHD-lik

Please (to more than one per-so n )-min-FU H D-il-kun1Excuse me {to a man)-tl-ZUR-Tli

Excuse me (to a woman)-u'-ZIJT-EE-Tlj

Excuse me (to more than oneperson )-11' -ztlr-OO-nj

Trapslaiioll-HELP IS FROM GODAND VICTORY IS NEAR

4 4

Thank you (eo a man)-KA101' KHIIYR-ak

Thank you (to a womanKAT-lor KHAYR-ik,

Thank you (to more thanpcrson)-KAT-tal' KHAkllmYcs-NAH-'um

No-LA,,/,Do you understand me-HAM-",'Idon', understand-A-n"FAA-IIi",

Please speakFUHD-1uk,SHWAI

slow 1y-mIII-k,i SHW


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Where is-W /IYNa resraur3n1-WAYN il-MAT-',ml

;lhOld-WAYN n-o-r . .YLTurn r i . ! l hi-DOOR 1i1'J 'a-

Mc;ENTurn left-DOOR lis},-MAAL

Location the railroad slal ion-WAYNil-ma-H AT /0

a loilel-W AYN BAYT n .MAl

DirectionsStraight ahead-DUCHonPk:lsC point-min FUHD-lak,jar-ZHEE-Ili

Distances arc given in kilometers, not miles. One kilometerequals % of :1 mile.KilomcICrS-'(ee.'~-mil-R1AT

NumbersFour-ARha-'/1Fivc-Kf-IAMsiOne-IVAA-ilidTwo--J1'! AYN

Threc-TLAAtiBut when )'ou use tbe numbers with other words no lice what

happens:One kilometer-ku-lo-MItirWAII-lmlFo r two kilometers you sa~

"couple of ki 10I11et"r" al! inone word.Two kilometers - I{u-lo-mil-R,lYNThree kilomcters-TLAAT ku-lo-mil.RIIAT

4 6

Four kilol11ctus-AR-ha' ku-lo-,mlRAIlT

Five kilomelers-KHAMS kC< I -la-mil-RAAT

Six-SIT-tiSe\'cn-SAB-'aEight-TMAA-,JiNine-TIS-'aTco-'ASH-ra

But notice again:Six kilomctcrs--SIT k,ulo-mit-RAAT

Seven kilometers-SA-bi' ku-la-mit-RAAT

Eight kilometers-ta-MAANku-/a-mit-RAAT

Nine kilomcters=-Tf-r/' kcc-Ia-lIlilRAAT

Ten kiiomercrs--'Asi\ar ku-lo-mit-RAATFrom eleven on, the sameform of the number you usc in

counting is used with the simpleform of the word as follows:Eleven kilomcters-ih-DII'Sf-Ik,u-/o-Mf-t;,'

Twelve kilometers-it-NA'Slikec-IoIW-lir

Thirteen ki lomCtcrs-llat- T4'SI1k


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Two hundred kilometers-MEE-T A Y N 1 (t! e- lo -M I- IJ rFor :!50 you say "couple of

hundreds and fifty":~50 kiloJl1eters-.UEE-TA~;V If-k.lmm-SEEN ka-lo-M/-fIrFor 255 you would SUI' "cou-

ple hundreds five and fifty".:255 kllomelcrs-~/EE-T AYN 11-

kllams ,,-kl!am-SEEN kt'e-Io-.HI-firBut for 555 you would say

!lrcad-KF-lU -biFrutt-FIV AA-toW,!t


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U.eful PhrasesWhat is your name (to aman)-SHOO IS-mal;..

What is your name (to awo.rnan)-SHOO IS-mikM y name is-15-mi ---

Doe. anyone here speak Eng-

lish-FEE l-lA-da HONBYfh-ki ill-GLEE-z;

Goodbye (by person lC2ving)-bi-KHAHT-rak

Goodbye (by person repi}'ing)-ma-'is-sa-LAA-mi

GLOSSARYr English~rJrt1bi, I

forest (wood. )-1",,-,1,gr3ss-ha-SH ESHthe ground-ardgully (ravine)-lHO-r"hill-tellakt.~BA -ha-rathe moon-il-'A-maTmountain-ZHE-bclthe oce:JJI-il-BA-luJFrain-SHf-tariver-NA-lmTsnow-tel;;h

e[c.)-

evcning-M ~1-rl1moruh-SH 1 ' 1 - I , i , -morning-SU-bihnight-LAYLwcck-ZHU.\1-'"year-Sf-tJ;yesterday-im-BAA-ri"

Months 01 the YearJanuary-KA,..1-NOON TA.1-m AUIIUSI~AABFcbruary-SHBAHT Septcmber-AY-LOOLM3Ich-AA-DAHR October-tiff,-REEN AU-April-NEE-SAAN 'o\'ember-tish-REEN TMa)'-AI-Y"JHR Decelllber-KAA-NOONJune-ha-lAY-RA/.N IvaiJuly-TEM-AlOOlbny-JVE-l~d or SUN-hibrother-ak/, or KHAtchild-IV E-Irddaughter-bi"tf.ther-A-boQgirl-himarms-DRAA-'AYNback-VA-h"reye-'AINfinger-US-b",'foot-IZH-irhair-SHA-'irhand-EEDbed-FER-sMbbnket-II-RAAMchair-K U R- ., jdoor-BAABdrinking w'J.tcr-MAf-)';r SHU-rl/bbouse-BAYT

kilchen-M "IT -bak"

Relatronsh ipsman-mzll-ZHAAL ormi (slang)

mother-imsistcr-lIkhtsoa-s-l-bi\Voman-MA-r'"

Human Bodyhcad-RAHSI"M-S"IA'mouth-r"mn05C.-mrm-KHAHRteeth-SNAANtoe--US-b",' 1Z1-1-ir

HOUGe and Furniture"lOm-O-dosla;rs--DA -razhstove-e-fcooking pbce)-SO.tablc~T AHIV-liwall-HAYT

Sunounding,s-Natu.al Object.bank (of river'-shIIIn spring (water-hole,darkness-ZUL-m'- 'A1Ndaytime (light)-t!fI-HAHR the slars-iTl-ZHQO:1J (plural)Jescn-8/J/l-dia NI-:::},im (singular)fidd-HA-'i/, marzh (plain) .trearn-ZHAD-rualfirL~ AHR the sun-ish-SN/JMS

w;ncl-H;'/-U'llday-YOMday after tomorrow-ha'd BUK-

Ttlday before YCSlerd.,-AU-walim-B/IA-ril,

water for washing-MAlGHUR-sil

window-shl/b-BAAK


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Food and Drink-Tobaccobutta-ZIB-d;.:~bbaf!c-I/1


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gooo-TAl-yib or KWAl-yis orim-LEEH

bad-ba/-T r/HLbig-kc-BEERsmall-za-CHEERk:h-SHMAAL or y~-SAHRsick-ma-REED or 'ai-YAr!Nwdl-TAI-yib Dr 7Ilab-SOOl'bungry-ZHO-'AANthirsty-'a/-SH AANblack-AS-w"dwbite--UHB-Yllbdred-Ail-marblu~AZ-rQ'green-//KH-doryellow-UHS-/ar

AdJoctl"".high-'AH-filow-WAH-I;d


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Go quickly-ROO" 'a -W AAA 'JWho arc you?-,"tEEN [nt: (to a man)MEEN IN-ti (to a woman)MEEN IN-ttl (to more thanone)

What do you wantl-SHOO BID-dak (to a man)SHOO BID-dik (to a WOJTI'HI)AYSH B1D-kmn (to morethan one)

Bring same drinking warer-e--ZHEEB MAl l;sb-SHURB (toa man)ZHEE-bj MAl lisll-SHURB

(to a woman)

ratl- ourh Palestine , 6 .36 lbs.;North Palestine, 5.653 lbs.

O'EE-a-South Palestine, 0.53lb s. ; North Palestine, 047'lbs.

'un-T AHR - South Palestine,635.922 lbs. ; North Palestine,565-259 lbs ,

ZHEE-btt MAl lis/'-SHURB ( 0 more than one)Bring some food-ZHEEB l-shi lil-A-kl1 (to 3man)

ZHEE-hi I-shi lil-A-kil (to awoman)

ZHEE-bu JsII ; Ii /-A-ki l (tomore than one)

How far is the campl-ad-D,lYSH BYIB-'id i l-KA,'.IB

How for is the water ?---(1t/-DAYSH bi-TIB-'id ii-MAlWhose house is this?--li-iUEENhal-BAYT

Weights0-'a-2.827 lbs.KEE-LO-t kilogram (:1' .20.j6

lbs, avd.)Iflbn (pronou need like Eng.tan)-I ton (metric), 02204.6 lbs,

Non:: The metric system is in offici,1 use in Syria, bUI the oldArab weights still are used. Both in Palestine and in Syria theseweights vary considerably from place 10 place and will have to belearned by experience.5 6

DRAA or PEEK-26.67 inches(cloth measure}; 29.84 in.(build ing and land measure).

DU-'JUm-1099S056 Sq U 3 r eyards (land measure), orr600 sq. DRAA'S,

k " ~ - / o - " v J'-Ijr-l kilometerof a mile or 3280.8 Ice

.HEEL-mile,MEE-lir--meter (39.37 in

Distanc.,.

It is often fu tile to try to find out exact distances fromIl:douin., because: they have little idea of accurate expression.wllJ often reply that a place is "two cigarette, away," or20 minutes (the time it takes to smoke one cigarette, abouminute.s). Or they may reply that a place is so many hoursby which they mean hours traveling by horse, donkey, or cMo r e sophisticated Arab s express distance in meters or kilomor perhaps m iles.

mil---


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nur 'irsll-haLf a piaster equals!4 Cent.'irrll-piaster (liz cent),frank-&3nc (5 piasters, equals

2 cents).'A-rlloT 'tI-ROOSH-IO piasters(5 cents).

5 8

k,fmms u-'isll-REEN 'ifih--25piasters (II cents).

kllam-SEEN 'inl l-50 piasters(23 cents).

LEE-ra, IVA-ra-'a-pound (46cents}.

NOTES


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NOTE S

6 0

NOTES


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NOTES

62

NOTES


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NOTES

62

NOTES


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Tl"tlflflatioTJ--GRJ!.ETINGS TO SYRIA AND LEBANONFROM AMERICA

WE HA VE COl>IE l'lWM THE NEWEST LANDOF THE WEST TO THE OLDEST LAND

OF THE EAST

Date Duer Jan4 'bJ .f

~,


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Documents

A Short Guide to Syria