Table Of ContentMedical Arabic
Medical Arabic is a valuable resource for students interested in learning medical
Arabic at ACTFL level Advanced Low.
Effective communication is essential in health care, and communication is most
effective when both parties share a common language, therefore resulting in a
comfortable relationship between health care provider and patient. This textbook
is intended for those with prior knowledge of Arabic language and grammar. It
is designed to provide students with the linguistic and cultural competencies and
medical Arabic terminology necessary to communicate in medical settings such
as a hospital, clinic, or a community health care facility. Students will be able to ask
questions in Arabic and provide answers in common medical situations, conduct
patient interviews, and understand a wider variety of possible responses from
patients. The book provides clear explanations of medical vocabulary and concepts
as they occur in the reading materials to encourage active interaction with the
text. The book’s drills are designed as either in-class exercises or homework. The
answer key for the book exercises is also provided as a downloadable e-resource.
Written by dynamic authors who taught Arabic as a foreign language for several
years and reviewed by physicians and professionals in the field, the book is an
essential guide for students in medical school, biology, and other science majors.
Students will find Medical Arabic more than merely a textbook but rather a pathway
to enhance their communication skills effectively.
Abderrahman Zouhir (PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) is
Associate Professor of Arabic Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition,
Director of the Arabic Program, and Advisor in the Master of Arts in Language
Learning (MALL) Program in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages,
Literatures and Cultures at Wayne State University. His interests include teaching
and learning Arabic for Specific Purposes, curriculum development and material
design, teacher training and development, and language policy.
Abdulqadir Abdulkarim (PhD, University of Glasgow, The United Kingdom) is
a professor in Applied Linguistics at Wayne State University, CLAS, CMLLC. He
has taught Arabic courses at Wayne State University, University of Michigan,
and Henry Ford College. He has also taught undergraduate and postgraduate
courses in Iraq, Jordan, and the Sultanate of Oman. His research areas cover
applied linguistics and Arabic as a foreign and heritage language. He published
21 reference books including his recent three-book series, “Arabic for American
University Students”, which was published in three volumes in 2015. His poetical
works, entitled “Songs of the Seven Voyages” and “Home of the Messengers,”
raised many issues relating to imagery, myth, emotion, and other matters.
M e d i c a l A r a b i c
Abderrahman Zouhir and
Abdulqadir Abdulkarim
First published 2020
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2020 Abderrahman Zouhir and Abdulqadir Abdulkarim
The right of Abderrahman Zouhir and Abdulqadir Abdulkarim to be identified as authors of
this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form
or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without per-
mission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-0-367-89704-8 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-89699-7 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-02062-2 (ebk)
Typeset in Scala
by Apex CoVanatge, LLC
Visit the eResources: www.routledge.com/9780367896997
Contents
Disclaimer vii
Acknowledgments viii
Photograph and portrait credits x
Preface xi
Cultural competence in health care xvi
Chapter 1 1
Clinical encounter
Chapter 2 62
Pediatrics
Chapter 3 94
Gastrointestinal tract
Chapter 4 132
Musculoskeletal system
Chapter 5 164
Obstetrics and gynecology
Chapter 6 195
Cardiovascular system
Chapter 7 234
Respiratory system
ةماعلا عجارلما General references 267
Contents vi
يبرع ـ يزيلنجإ سوماق English–Arabic glossary 270
يزيلنجإ ـ يبرع سوماق Arabic–English glossary 282
Index 292
Disclaimer
The authors and publisher of this book specifically disclaim all respon-
sibility or liability for any loss, risk, injury, or damage of any kind result-
ing from, or in any way related to the information and content of this
book. The readers should regularly consult physicians in matters relat-
ing to their health and particularly for any symptoms that may require
diagnosis or medical attention.
Acknowledgments
The initial idea of this book project began with discussions between the
two authors about there being no dedicated textbook for teaching med-
ical Arabic. We consulted with several colleagues, friends, and medical
professionals about the project, and we received considerable encour-
agement from them. Ms. Valentina Djilaj, Special Associate to the
Director in the Detroit Health Department, was also intrigued by the
book project when she contacted us for Arabic translation services for
some informational materials the Detroit Health Department was pro-
viding to the Arab community.
This book could have never been completed without the assistance of
numerous individuals to whom we are delighted to pay tribute and
heartfelt gratitude.
We send sincere thanks to Dr. Adrian De Gifis, from Michigan State
University College of Human Medicine, who listened to developing
ideas and enthusiastically encouraged the completion of this book. We
are also grateful to Dr. Ahmed Al-hajjaj and Dr. Abduljalil Al-hajjaj, who
provided valuable feedback as we completed this project. This book
would not have materialized without their valuable comments and con-
structive feedback.
We owe a great debt to the professional portraitist Mr. Haydar Alyas-
iry for his great inspiration in painting the seven portraits of the ancient
Arab/Muslim physicians. We would also like to pay a special acknowl-
edgment to Mr. Bogdan Jianu, from Dreamtime Marketing and Alli-
ances, for his assistance in purchasing the lifetime license for the
original digital medical images used in this textbook.
We have greatly benefited from the presentation of some parts of this
work at the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages con-
ference in 2018 in Herndon, Virginia. We thank the participants there
for their feedback, comments, and suggestions.
We are grateful to Ms. Andrea Hartill, Routledge Senior Publisher, for
supporting this project from its inception. This book would not have
materialized without her encouragement, constructive feedback, and
guidance. Andrea’s punctuality, prompt response to our emails, and
ix Acknowledgments
attention to myriad details during the review process have been invalu-
able and helpful.
Sincere thanks also go to Ms. Claire Margerison, Routledge Senior
Editorial Assistant, and Ms. Ellie Auton, Routledge Editorial Assistant,
for the help they provided while preparing the book. We would also like
to thank the anonymous reviewers for Routledge who read the initial
book proposal and enthusiastically encouraged us to complete the
project. We must not forget to thank Ms. Autumn Spalding, Project
Manager at Apex CoVantage, for her assistance in giving this book its
final shape.
We thank our colleagues and students who continue to inspire us
with their commitment and enthusiasm. We also express our heartfelt
thanks to all students, professors, medical professionals, and institu-
tions for using this book to teach medical Arabic. We hope you find it
helpful and worthwhile.
We express our deepest gratitude to our families for their patience.
We continue to be grateful for their love and support.
Finally, we would like to thank each other. We are grateful for the
opportunity that we had to complete yet another collaboration.
