| − | '''Arab''' is a word which refers to an ethnic group as well as a language group. In modern [[term]]s, an Arab is anyone of (1) Middle-Eastern descent and (2) has some facility in the [[Arabic language]]. Historically, the term was narrower, referring to only those from [[Arabia]]. There is a tendency among Westerners to regard all Arabs as [[Muslims]], but this is incorrect, as there are some of [[Christian]] Arabs, as well as other-religioned Arabs: actor [[Danny Thomas]] was a Christian Arab; the [[Coptic Church|Copts]] of [[Egypt]] are Christian Arabs. There are also many Jewish Arabs, virtually all of whom were expelled from the various Islamic countries in Arabia in 1948, despite living in some countries in Arabia in some cases since the time of [[King Solomon]]. | + | '''Arab''' is a word which refers to an ethnic group as well as a language group. In modern [[term]]s, an Arab is anyone of (1) Arab descent and (2) has some facility in the [[Arabic language]]. Historically, the term was narrower, referring to only those from [[Arabia]]. There is a tendency among Westerners to regard all Arabs as [[Muslims]], but this is incorrect, as there are some [[Christian]] Arabs, as well as Arabs of other faiths: actor [[Danny Thomas]] was a Christian Arab. There are also many Jewish Arabs, virtually all of whom were expelled from the various Arab countries in 1948 despite having lived there since the time of King Solomon. |
| | The Modern [[Arabic language]] is a member of the Arabian Semitic stock (which includes Hebrew) of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages, and with the Berberic languages, display remarkable structural similarities. | | The Modern [[Arabic language]] is a member of the Arabian Semitic stock (which includes Hebrew) of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages, and with the Berberic languages, display remarkable structural similarities. |