Doha: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) hosted a broad introductory session on the Doha Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language to explore how this major scholarly resource can be leveraged to support curriculum development and foster students' sense of cultural identity.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Director of the Educational Guidance Administration at MoEHE, Maryam Naaman Al Emadi, described this lexicography as a civilizational project and an incredible addition to human knowledge. It reinterprets the history of Arabic lexicons within their historical and civilizational contexts.
Maryam Naaman Al Emadi highlighted that the project reflects Qatar's commitment, under its judicious leadership, to supporting significant knowledge endeavors that benefit the Arab and Islamic nations.
Executive Director of the Doha Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language, Dr. Mohammed Al Obaidi, emphasized that the dictionary is Qatar's gift to the nation. He stated that it elevates the status of the Arabic language among international languages.
Dr. Al Obaidi noted that the project overcame challenges that hindered previous attempts since the early twentieth century by following a scientific approach and strict authorship regulations.
He stressed the importance of this resource in education, as it helps safeguard learners and teachers from losing today's meanings from heritage texts. It also promotes new teaching methodologies and enriches linguistic learning, providing a strong foundation for professional school lexicography.
Dr. Al Obaidi also mentioned the dictionary's role in enhancing Arabic AI through its extensive and structured data.
The session featured a presentation by Dr. Khalid Al Jabr, the dictionary's linguistic expert, on using the online portal for word and root searches. This was followed by a discussion with educators on integrating the dictionary into classroom instruction.
At the conclusion of the session, Maha Qaqaa Al Ruwaili honored the dictionary's contributors for their efforts in completing this pioneering national project, which strengthens linguistic identity in education.