Editing Arabic (section)

== Phonology ==
{{Main|Standard Arabic phonology}}
{{See also|Egyptian Arabic phonology|Hejazi Arabic phonology|Levantine Arabic phonology|Tunisian Arabic phonology}}

While many languages have numerous dialects that differ in [[phonology]], contemporary spoken Arabic is more properly described as a [[varieties of Arabic|continuum of varieties]].<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Kirchhoff|Vergyri|2005|p=38}}</ref> [[Modern Standard Arabic]] (MSA), is the [[standard variety]] shared by educated speakers throughout Arabic-speaking regions. MSA is used in writing in formal print media and orally in newscasts, speeches and formal declarations of numerous types.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Kirchhoff|Vergyri|2005|pp=38–39}}</ref>

Modern Standard Arabic has 28 [[consonant]] [[phoneme]]s and 6 [[vowel]] phonemes. All phonemes contrast between "[[emphatic consonant|emphatic]]" ([[pharyngealized]]) consonants and non-emphatic ones. Some of these phonemes have [[Phonetic merger|coalesced]] in the various modern dialects, while new phonemes have been introduced through [[Loanword|borrowing]] or [[phonemic split]]s. A "phonemic quality of length" applies to [[Gemination|consonants]] as well as [[Vowel length|vowels]].<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Holes|2004|p=57}}</ref>