Posted on Nov 26, 2017
Should I continue learning Levantine Arabic or go learn MSA?
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I am currently deployed with opportunities to practice speaking to local Arabic speakers and learning a Levantine dialect of Arabic. I am 11B but want to learn a form of Arabic and upon returning, continue to be able to test out and have official proficiency. Levantine Arabic is more conversational and I prefer to continue learning it while I can practice with native speakers. However, it looks like the military primarily tests out MSA (ie DLPT5) and I was wondering if there are any acceptable tests I can take to qualify for FLPB for Arabic-Levantine? Would taking an OPI in Arabic-Levantine qualify me for FLPB pay?
Posted in these groups: 
Foreign Language
Defense Language Institute (DLI)Arabic (Levantine)Arabic (Modern Standard)
Foreign Language Defense Language Institute (DLI)Arabic (Levantine)Arabic (Modern Standard)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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There is a Levantine DLPT, and Levantine is one of the few Arabic dialects that the Army will pay you for being proficient. In order to be proficient though, you would need to achieve at least a 2 in listening (Levantine) and a 2 in reading (MSA, there is no dialect reading).
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MSG (Join to see)
Or you would need to achieve a 2 in listening and a 2 in speaking. You don't actually have to qualify in reading, so long as you are proficient in two of the three modalities.
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MSA will serve you better over the long run. You will be able to be understood in every Arabic country, however sometimes you'll have trouble understanding them. MSA can also be an asset to you when you leave the army as there are companies that do business in multiple Arab countries. It's really up to you as to which is more important. Bear in mind the difference is really more in slang. اتكلم is more marketable than achee. Sorry the phone won't let me write a Ch sound in Arabic.
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PFC Jason Robles, if you take an OPI test in Levantine and score a 2+ and above you will earn FLBP.
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PFC (Join to see)
Thank you for the response SGT. I’ve found an agency to conduct an OPI, that will be my long term target for that ILR level
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PFC (Join to see), I'd investigate at DLI or your local language testing center if I were you. While there are likely a handful of linguists on RP, you're asking a policy question. DLI has courses on it, so I'd think there would be testing. http://hs2.dliflc.edu/levantine.html
Levantine language learning program
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Try and see if your unit will send you to DLI, if not just take the courses through AKO, ive taken Pashto, Dari, basic Arabic 1 and 2 and Im going to start basic Korean.
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