Arabic is a language of substantial cultural and religious importance. It is spoken by about 300 million people, predominantly in the 22 countries of the Arab world, as well as in several other regions where the Arab diaspora has settled. Arabic is also the language of Islam and underpins the religious practice of about 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide.

In view of the above, the authors thought it important to create an easily accessible handbook for interpreters, translators, educators and other practitioners working between Arabic and English in healthcare settings. Introduction to Healthcare for Arabic-speaking Interpreters and Translators follows the seminal publication Introduction to Healthcare for Interpreters and Translators (Crezee, 2013) and has been supplemented with Arabic glossaries and comments about health communication between Anglophones and Arabic speakers. This practical resource book will help inform interpreters and translators about healthcare settings, anatomy, physiology, medical terminology and frequently encountered conditions, diagnostic tests and treatment options.

Arabic is divided into two categories: formal (Classical, Standard or literary) Arabic, and local dialects (colloquial Arabic). Formal Arabic is the official language of all Arab countries. In each of these, there are regional dialects which color formal Arabic and add character to a poetic and expressive language. Poetic nature is found in many daily expressions, and not only in Arabic literature, for example, “Good morning” in Arabic is “Ssabah al khair”, which in essence wishes others a morning of goodness; and, the pan-Arab greeting “Salam Alaykum”, which literally means “may peace be upon you”. Dialects once existed principally in spoken form but these days they are increasingly used in writing in social media and its paraphernalia (mobile phones, tablets, etc.). In this book, formal Arabic is used in the glossaries, simply because it is the recognized language of literacy across the Arabic-speaking world.