This 1935 selection illustrates the Arabic dialect of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. The extracts were chosen as specimens of native speech, but many of them provide an additional insight into the culture and traditions of the area. Most of the material was collected at first hand or contributed by native collaborators.

This dictionary has been produced specifically as a resource for foreign learners of Sudanese Arabic. The language is spoken in Khartoum and throughout most of the Republic of Sudan, but it is essentially an unwritten language, since Modern Standard Arabic is almost always used for written communications. Foreigners therefore do not find it easy to learn the spoken language, though some coursebooks do exist. So this dictionary will be invaluable for both beginning language learners and those who have already made progress in learning the language. It should supply all the vocabulary needed for everyday conversations and many working situations. Rianne Tamis holds an M.A. in Semitic Languages from the Catholic University of Nijmegen. She has worked at the Catholic Language Institute of Khartoum since 2002 as assistant director, course editor and teacher of Sudanese Arabic. Janet Persson has an M.A. in Linguistic Science from Reading University. For many years she has been involved in linguistic research with SIL International in a number of languages, including Sudanese Arabic. She and her husband Andrew are the authors of Sudanese colloquial Arabic for beginners.