Arabic

'''Arabic''' ({{lang|ar|العربية}} ''{{ArabDIN|al-ʿarabīyah}}''; less formally: {{lang|ar|عربي}} ''{{ArabDIN|ʿarabi}}'') is a [[Central Semitic language]], thus related to and classified alongside other [[Semitic languages|Semitic]] languages such as [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] and [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]]. In terms of speakers, Arabic is the largest member of the Semitic language family. It is spoken by more than 280 million<ref name="ency-ling-stats"/> people as a [[first language]] and by 250 million<ref>[http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=arb ''Ethnologue'' (1999)]</ref> more as a [[second language]]. Most native speakers live in the [[Middle East]] and [[North Africa]]. Different spoken [[varieties of Arabic]] exist and differ according to region.  Not all of the varieties are mutually intelligible and speakers may use a sort of medial language with features common to most Arabic varieties to communicate with speakers of mutually unintelligible varieties. [[Standard Arabic]] is widely taught in schools, universities, and used in the office and the media.