Diglossia is the term used to describe the phenomena of two distinct varieties of a language coexisting within a particular society. Typically, one variety is reserved for formal use and is both written and spoken, while the other is usually a more informal language spoken between family, friends and casual acquaintances. The second variety almost always lacks a writing system.

Anyone who has studied Arabic has already been introduced to diglossia on a grand scale. Several varieties of Arabic exist. Classical Arabic (the language of the Qur'an) has little in common with the many present-day dialects of Arabic which are widely spoken across North Africa and the Middle East. The dialects themselves are so diverse that even native speakers of Arabic may have difficulty understanding Arabs from neighboring countries, or in extreme cases: neighboring villages.

Fortunately, the Arab nations have made conscious efforts to standardize the Arabic language and provide a way for Arabs across the globe to communicate easily and effectively. Their success has been realized in the widespread use of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), basically a "relaxed" form of Classical Arabic which also makes allowances for modern terms such as "telephone" and "washing machine." Almost without exception, it is MSA which one hears on Arabic news broadcasts and other television programs, in school and in other formal settings. MSA has also become a means by which individual Arabs from different countries can converse with one another. Unlike the colloquial dialects of Arabic, MSA is a written language.

Islam is the catalyst which has made this standardization possible. Muslims live by the word of the Qur'an and therefore have very strong motivation to keep Classical Arabic alive and well. Without this motivation, it is quite likely that Classical Arabic would have disappeared long ago, much like Latin - now a dead language - the traces of which can be found in modern-day Romance languages such as French and Italian.

In spite of its unifying features, MSA is not without its problems as it is an exclusive language mostly used by well-educated individuals. In many Arabic-speaking nations, the literacy rate is under 70%, falling as low as 38% in countries such as Yemen. People who cannot read MSA, perhaps only having access to their local dialects, are often completely excluded from the political process, unable to read voter ballots or even newspaper articles about political candidates. To complicate the matter, MSA is so different from the Arabic dialects that an adult wishing to learn how to read would find himself learning a completely new language on top of the skills it takes to read. Children going to school for the first time also experience this shock and essentially become bilingual by the end of their scholastic careers, while teachers often report spending inordinate amounts of time translating texts written in Classical or Modern Standard Arabic into the local dialect.

Nevertheless, the need for a standard Arabic language and the benefits such a language brings to both Arabs and Muslims far outweigh the inconveniences and imperfections of MSA. As literacy rates climb and more households acquire television sets, MSA will at least become more widely understood, even if it never becomes the spoken language of choice.

Arabic is the language of Islam, and Muslims everywhere should strive to learn it. But the question arises: which Arabic should one attempt to learn? As we have seen, Arabic is not just one language but a collection of tongues as varied as the situations in which they are typically spoken. Someone who wants to study Arabic should first identify the reason(s) why he wants to invest his time, effort (and possibly his money) in the pursuit of this endeavor.

Most Muslims want to be able to read the Qur'an in Arabic. Many mosques offer lessons in this field as do select universities in the U.S. and abroad. Such courses usually focus on the classical aspects of the language, paying special attention to correct pronunciation, grammatical structure and acquisition of Qur'anic vocabulary which may otherwise be out-dated by MSA standards. Good courses also help the student to understand the intricacies and the historical background of the Qur'anic Revelation.

Most Muslims would also like to be able to communicate with Arabic-speaking brothers and sisters. In such circumstances, Classical Arabic is not a sufficient means of modern-day communication. Though it is undoubtedly the most beautiful, special language in the world, the fact is that people just don't walk around speaking Classical Arabic. Doing so would be the equivalent of 21st century Americans chit-chatting in Shakespearean English.

MSA is a good alternative to Classical Arabic. Somebody who studies MSA formally can expect to get a good overview of the Arabic language as it is used in well-educated circles. He will also learn to read and write. These basic skills make an excellent jumping off point to go on to study either Classical Arabic or one of the many Arabic dialects.

However, like Classical Arabic, MSA is still a little lofty for everyday conversation. Arabs who are familiar with MSA as the result of television exposure but who have not formally studied the language may understand you when you speak but only be able to answer you in their own dialects. Regardless, MSA is still the language which will allow you to communicate with the greatest number of people from all over the Arabic-speaking world.

It can also be useful to speak one or more of the Arabic dialects. If you are traveling to a specific region of the Middle East, or if you have married into an Arab family, it makes good sense to learn the appropriate dialect as your ultimate goal should be ease of communication, not to show how educated you are.

It can seem overwhelming for a foreigner to learn Arabic, a language which has a reputation for being difficult. This reputation is, however, undeserved. Arabic is a highly systematized language which allows its speakers almost intuitively to guess at the meanings of unfamiliar words and to accurately pinpoint proper pronunciations. A good Arabic course will help the beginner to acquire basic vocabulary, but the most important thing for anyone learning a new language is to get out there and speak it.