Latest news with #HistoricalDictionary
Gulf Business
6 days ago
- Business
- Gulf Business
20 million words and counting: UAE's grand plan to power Arabic with AI
Image credit: WAM/Website The UAE is setting global benchmarks in the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to preserve, promote, and digitise the Arabic language—ensuring its continued relevance in the digital age. Read- From education to publishing, major national institutions are deploying AI to elevate Arabic's cultural, academic, and global status, One of the most notable initiatives is the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language, a landmark scholarly achievement led by Sharjah—widely recognised as the 'Capital of Arab Culture.' This monumental work traces the development of Arabic through the centuries. Building on this foundation, Sharjah also launched the GPT Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language, which combines AI technologies with historical linguistics. The tool features a vast database of more than 20 million words and allows users to read, write, and convert texts into videos. It is continuously updated through a partnership between the Arabic Language Academy and the Emirates Scholar Research Centre. Powering knowledge platforms with AI The Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism, launched the region's first AI-powered Arabic-English dictionary. Designed using computational linguistics, it features over 7,000 core modern terms with automatic pronunciation, simplified definitions, contextual examples, imagery, and grammatical classification. In collaboration with NYU Abu Dhabi and Zayed University, the centre has also unveiled the Balanced Arabic Readability Corpus (BAREC), a 10-million-word linguistic resource drawn from various literary genres to support research and education. Bringing AI into classrooms and book fairs At the latest Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, the newly launched Digital Square offered a tech-forward platform to showcase how AI is reshaping Arabic publishing. Educational institutions across the country are similarly investing in AI-driven tools to modernise Arabic language instruction, ensuring that the region's linguistic heritage thrives in the digital era.
Zawya
6 days ago
- Science
- Zawya
UAE harnesses AI to boost Arabic language global reach
ABU DHABI - The UAE has set a model in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to integrate the Arabic language and its cultural heritage into the digital sphere, boosting its regional and global presence as a language capable of meeting future demands. Various state institutions are rolling out AI-driven initiatives in sectors such as publishing, education, lexicography and creative content. One of the leading projects is the Historical Dictionary of Arabic Language, a monumental scientific achievement completed last year by Sharjah, the "Capital of Arab Culture". The project documents the evolution of the Arabic language throughout history. This was followed by the launch of the 'GPT Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language' project, which utilises modern innovations to serve and disseminate the language globally. Linked to AI, the dictionary offers researchers and enthusiasts with over 20 million Arabic words. It also enables them to write and read texts, convert them into videos, and continuously feed the dictionary with new information through a collaboration between the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah and the Emirates Scholar Research Centre. Meanwhile, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation is advancing digital culture and knowledge in the Arab world and globally through initiatives including the 'Digital Knowledge Hub,' an Arabic platform for producing, collecting and organising digital content. Last year, it surpassed 800,000 titles and 8.5 million digital items across more than 18 specialised libraries. The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism, has launched several AI-based publishing projects, including a specialised digital dictionary to support digital Arabic content. It is the first comprehensive Arabic-English dictionary employing AI and computational linguistics. The dictionary covers over 7,000 core modern terms, offering automated pronunciation, simplified definitions, examples, images, and precise grammatical and semantic classifications. In collaboration with a team from New York University Abu Dhabi and Zayed University, the centre launched the Balanced Arabic Readability Corpus project 'BAREC', which aims to collect a linguistic corpus of 10 million words encompassing a wide range of literary genres and topics. The most recent edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair saw the launch of the "Digital Square" initiative, a technical space that provided a platform to enhance the use of AI in publishing and books. Furthermore, many educational institutions have been keen to launch diverse initiatives to promote the use of AI and modern technologies in teaching the Arabic language.
Emirates 24/7
6 days ago
- Science
- Emirates 24/7
UAE harnesses AI to boost Arabic language global reach
The UAE has set a model in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to integrate the Arabic language and its cultural heritage into the digital sphere, boosting its regional and global presence as a language capable of meeting future demands. Various state institutions are rolling out AI-driven initiatives in sectors such as publishing, education, lexicography and creative content. One of the leading projects is the Historical Dictionary of Arabic Language, a monumental scientific achievement completed last year by Sharjah, the "Capital of Arab Culture". The project documents the evolution of the Arabic language throughout history. This was followed by the launch of the 'GPT Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language' project, which utilises modern innovations to serve and disseminate the language globally. Linked to AI, the dictionary offers researchers and enthusiasts with over 20 million Arabic words. It also enables them to write and read texts, convert them into videos, and continuously feed the dictionary with new information through a collaboration between the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah and the Emirates Scholar Research Centre. Meanwhile, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation is advancing digital culture and knowledge in the Arab world and globally through initiatives including the 'Digital Knowledge Hub,' an Arabic platform for producing, collecting and organising digital content. Last year, it surpassed 800,000 titles and 8.5 million digital items across more than 18 specialised libraries. The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism, has launched several AI-based publishing projects, including a specialised digital dictionary to support digital Arabic content. It is the first comprehensive Arabic-English dictionary employing AI and computational linguistics. The dictionary covers over 7,000 core modern terms, offering automated pronunciation, simplified definitions, examples, images, and precise grammatical and semantic classifications. In collaboration with a team from New York University Abu Dhabi and Zayed University, the centre launched the Balanced Arabic Readability Corpus project 'BAREC', which aims to collect a linguistic corpus of 10 million words encompassing a wide range of literary genres and topics. The most recent edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair saw the launch of the "Digital Square" initiative, a technical space that provided a platform to enhance the use of AI in publishing and books. Furthermore, many educational institutions have been keen to launch diverse initiatives to promote the use of AI and modern technologies in teaching the Arabic language.
Sharjah 24
19-02-2025
- General
- Sharjah 24
APC engages in Arabic language historical dictionary dialogue
During the meeting, the children discussed the importance of a remarkable new project—the historical dictionary of the Arabic language. This project is a comprehensive effort that documents how Arabic has evolved over time and involved the work of 400 researchers and scholars from across the Arab world, all guided by the Ruler of Sharjah. Dr. Haidar Waqe Allah led the meeting on behalf of the General Secretariat of the Arab Parliament for Children and encouraged the young members to share their thoughts about the dictionary. Ibtihal Al-Maaref from Morocco highlighted how this dictionary has become famous for being the largest linguistic encyclopedia ever, recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. It consists of 127 printed volumes and more than 20,000 electronic volumes. Children from different countries shared their perspectives: Zainab Moulay Ahmed from Mauritania emphasized how this dictionary will help preserve the Arabic language for future generations. Hour Brijia from Palestine described the dictionary as a valuable reference that captures the growth of words and their meanings over time. Joya Al Shab from Lebanon pointed out how essential this resource is for poets, writers, and anyone who loves the language. Razan Al-Baj from Saudi Arabia explained that this dictionary differs from traditional dictionaries because it tracks the history of words along with evidence from literary texts. Talal Dhafer Al-Hababi from Qatar explained how to search within the dictionary, showing how each word is presented alongside its background and meaning changes over the years. Ryan Mohammed Al-Shuraid from Jordan shared his experience using the electronic version, mentioning how easy it is to find words. He demonstrated this by searching for the word 'parliament' and discovering its meaning as a governing body in the country. Another child found that the word 'child' has the same origin in both Arabic and Aramaic, which surprised everyone. Many children expressed their thoughts on the historical dictionary and how beneficial it is for Arab kids. The meeting concluded with gratitude to all participants and an invitation to explore more about the Arabic language through the Historical Dictionary's website. After the meeting, Ayman Othman Al-Barout, the Secretary-General of the APC, praised the session, saying it allowed Arab children to express their views on the historical dictionary of their language. He noted that the meeting reflects the parliament's goal of engaging children with important cultural topics while strengthening their connection to the Arabic language. He also thanked His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for his ongoing support of Arabic language initiatives, which positions Sharjah as a cultural center uniting Arab children in the pursuit of knowledge.
