Lebanon

History and Politics

Lebanon is a country located in the East Mediterranean, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, Syria, and Israel. Lebanon has a rich history dating back more than seven thousand years, when it was inhabited by the Phoenicians (7000-538 BC). It is believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas in the world that thrived due to its advantageous location on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The capital of Lebanon is Beirut and the first mention of this metropolis is found in the ancient Egyptian letters, dating from the 15th century BC.

Learn more about Lebanon

Religion

It is believed that one of the most distinctive features of Lebanon’s social structure is its varied religious composition. Since the 7th century Lebanon has served as a refuge for persecuted Christian and Muslim sects. Lebanon is thought to have no religious majority group. There are 17 official religions in Lebanon, three are Christian, (Maronite, Greek Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholic), and three are Islamic, (Druze, Sunni and Shia). Since 1943, political power has been shared equally by Muslims and Christians, each with its own family law and religious courts, and government offices are reserved for certain sects (i.e.the prime minister is always a Sunni Muslim; the president is always a Maronite, and the speaker of the house is always a Shiite. ) Even though Lebanon is a secular country, family matters such as marriage, divorce and inheritance are still handled by the religious authorities representing a person's faith.

Language

Languages of Lebanon are most commonly categorized into six different categories, Arabic - North Levantine spoken, Arabic - standard (i.e. Egyptian Arabic), English, Armenian, French, and Kurdish - Northern. However, the official language of Lebanon and the religious language is Arabic. The literacy rate in Lebanon is between 70 to 75% of the population.

Lebanese Arabic (also sometimes referred to as the "Lebanese language") shares many features with other so-called modern varieties of Arabic. However, Levantine varieties of Arabic exhibit many differences from Modern Standard Arabic (literary arabic). First, the syllable structure is quite different. In Modern Standard Arabic there is only one consonant at the beginning of a syllable followed by a vowel while in Lebanese Arabic there are two consonants in the onset. Another difference is that Lebanese Arabic has simpler syntax without any mood and case markings. Lebanese Arabic requires verbal agreement regarding number and gender for all subjects regardless of if it has been mentioned previously or not. Inanimate plural nouns are treated as feminine. Another big difference is that in Lebanese Arabic the vocabulary has been borrowed from many different languages. Lebanese Arabic vocabulary is made up of approximately 47% Arabic, 40% Syriac, 5% Ottoman Turkish, 5% Greek, and 3% French and English.

Below are a few examples of the differences between Lebanese Arabic and Modern Standard Arabic.

• The following example demonstrates two differences between Standard Arabic and Spoken Lebanese: Coffee (قهوة), Standard Arabic: /ˈqahwa/; Lebanese: [ˈʔahwe]. The voiceless uvular plosive /q/ corresponds to a glottal stop [ʔ], and the final vowel ([æ~a~ɐ]) commonly written with tāʾ marbūtah (ة) is raised to [e].

• As a general rule of thumb, the voiceless uvular plosive /q/ is dropped from the words in which it appears, and is replaced instead with a glottal stop [ʔ], e.g., /daqiːqa/ "minute" becomes [dʔiːʔa]. Dropping of /q/ is a feature shared with Syrian Arabic and most dialects of Egyptian Arabic.

• The exception for this general rule is the Druze of Lebanon who, like the Druze of Syria and Israel, have retained the pronunciation of /q/ in the centre of direct neighbours who have substituted the /q/ for the [ʔ] (example: "Heart" is /qalb/ in Literary Arabic, becomes [ˈʔaleb] or [ʔalb], which is similar in Syrian, Palestinian and Egyptian. The use of /q/ by Druze is particularly prominent in the mountains and less so in urban areas.

• Unlike most other varieties Arabic, Lebanese has retained the classical diphthongs /aj/ and /aw/ (pronounced in Lebanese [aɪ] and [aʊ]), which were monophthongised into [eː] and [oː] elsewhere. This has changed over time, and, today, in everyday conversation, [eː] has replaced the /aj/ and sometimes medial /aː/, also [e] replaced final /i/. The [oː] has replaced the /aw/; [o] replaced some of the short /u/s. In singing, the /aj/, /aw/ and medial /aː/ are maintained for artistic specify.

Lebanese Arabic Common Phrases

*Arabic is commonly typed with English characters which is called English-Arabic. This type of communication is very common with emailing, texting and social media.

Useful Arabic Clinical Phrases for SLPs

Traditions, Cultures and Beliefs.

Lebanon has a rich history, as well as numerous traditions and traditional products. Many of the traditions revolve around religious holidays and family gatherings (i.e. weddings and births).

Weddings are very important occasions for Lebanese families. Lebanese weddings can last for up to three consecutive days. Traditionally, there is a lot of food and dancing, as well as a performance by a classical Lebanese belly dancer. The wedding typically ends at dawn when the bride and groom leave the brides home. Upon leaving, it is tradition that all the women of the party give the bride and groom blessings. It is also customary, as a sign of joy, for people to throw petals and rice on the bride and groom as they depart.

The Lebanese cuisine has been influenced by many different cultures due to the many foreign powers that have ruled Lebanon. The traditional cuisine includes many starches, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and seafood; as well as a significant amount of garlic, olive oil, herbs and spices. Traditionaly, animal fats are consumed sparingly. Mouné (preserves) are made from both fruits (jams, marmelads, syrups) and vegetables (pickling, making paste, with olive oil). Another very popular meal in Lebanon is "mezze". The word mezze is derived from Turkish "meze" and Persian "maze" which means taste or snack. The mezze is a group of appetizers or small dishes which are usually accompanied with a beverage like arak, ouzo, raki or wine. Typical mezze includes different salads, dips, patties and stuffed grape leaves. Mezze also has a social importance to the Lebanese. Mezze signifies a time for individuals to casually get together and share thought and ideas. The Lebanese especially love two types of bread. The first one is „khub“ which is pita type of bread. The second one is paper-thin bread known as „marqouq“.

Coffee ("ahweh") is another staple for the Lebanese people. Some locals say that those who do not drink coffee are going to lose nationality. The Lebanese mainly drink Arabic (Turkish) style coffee. Lebanese individuals are known to prefer their coffee sweet, strong and often flavored with cardamom and drops of orange blossom water. In Lebanon coffee is prepared in a long-handled coffee pot called "rakwe". The coffee is poured straight from the rakwe into a "demitasse". A demitasse is a small cup that holds 60-90 ml (2–3 fl oz) of liquid. "White Coffee" is also a common drink in Lebanon. Despite what the name says, "white coffee" is actually not coffee. It is an herbal tea prepared with orange blossom water. White coffee is usually served after a meal with some candied roses petals. Another very popular drink in Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East is a beverage called "Jallab". Jallab is made from dates, grape molasses and rose water and is often served with crushed ice, pine nuts and raisins.

Lebanon and the United States

There are an estimated 3.3 million Americans of Lebanese descent living in the United States and early settlers in America are mostly from Beirut, Mount Hermon, and surrounding regions of present-day Lebanon. A wave of immigrants began moving to the US in the 1960s and 1970s, fleeing the Lebanese Civil War and including families whom identified with either Christian or Muslim beliefs. The majority of these individuals are Christian (90%), Greek Orthodox or Maronite, with the remainder identifying with Islam or Judaism. The Lebanese settled all over the US, establishing important and strong Lebanese-American communities and working hard to assimilate into mainstream American society, learning the English language and US culture.

Lebanon has one Embassy and three Consulates General in the United States, each consulate covers a specific jurisdiction. Four Honorary Consulates are also available to serve the local state residents of: Miami (FL), Houston (TX), Raleigh (NC), and Boston (MA).

Local Resources

• Arabic School of Portland

• Muslim Community Center

• Film by local lebanese about Lebanon

• Syrian Lebanese American Club: 11610 SE Holgate Blvd, Portland OR 97266

• Portland Church 1

• Portland Church 2

• Annual Lebanese Food Festival July

Considerations for Speech-Language Pathologists

Lebanon has a rich and diverse history of an intermingling of religion, languages, cultural backgrounds and values. Clinicians should be mindful of Lebanese diversity while interacting with clients and their families in the clinical setting, although in the past Lebanese-Americans have typically transitioned to the American lifestyle without difficulty. When first meeting a Lebanese family it will be beneficial to learn about the religious and cultural background unique to their family system due to the variability embraced in Lebanon.

Lebanon has a long history of honoring thier family, dignity, and reputation; the behavior of the individual is thought of as a direct reflection of their greater family and this should be kept in mind during assessment and intervention. Additonally, the Lebanese have an indirect communication style, which may relate to maintaining their sense of honor. They frequently rely heavily on environmental context to explain the underlying meaning of their words and listener is expected to know what they are trying to say or imply. Non-verbal cues and body language are important to learn so clinicians can more fully understand their client's communicative intent.

• Lebanon encompasses people with a wide range of religious beliefs and lifestyles. Don't make assumptions and do assess all clients on an individual basis.

• Plan extra time for meetings with families. They may want to spend time getting to know you.

• The SLP is advised to assess the whole person's cognition and language system for all languages the client uses. The Bilingual Aphasia Test (BAT) would be a good assessment for individuals that have aphasia to determine the strengths in both languages.

• Assessment tests for bilingual Arabic-English speakers include: LangNet: A self-assessment tool that teachers can offer their students as a supplemental instrument to learning. Students take the self-assessment test to find out their proficiency level. Available in Arabic. CAL-Computerized Oral Proficiency Instrument (COPI): A semi-adaptive test of Modern Standard Arabic or Spanish oral proficiency intended for use with native-English-speaking students in later years of high school, college students, and professionals.Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Evaluates English proficiency of those whose native language is not English. Bilingual Verbal Ability Test (BVAT): Evaluates English proficiency of those whose native language is not English.