I am a native English speaker who does not know a single word of Arabic. Well, of course, I know Arabic words in English ("algebra","admiral", etc.) but I have not studied any Arabic.
My only desire to learn Arabic is for deeper study of Islam.
So I am thinking that perhaps first I will study the script and really get the alphabet and writing system down. To that end, I purchased these two books:
- Teach Yourself Beginner's Arabic Script by John Mace
- Easy Arabic Script by Wightwick
Once I can interpret the alphabet correctly, I plan to pick up a general introductory book on Arabic to learn grammar and vocabulary.
Now, I have also considered getting the Pimsleur Arabic set. I have used Pimsleur before in my study of other languages and I like their system. But I see there is both an Eastern Arabic set and an Egyptian Arabic set. Which is more appropriate?