Italarab (ایتالعرب)

Italarab is a way to write Italian with the Arabic alphabet devised by Pamir Martini in 2020, and revised in 2023. It is also known as the Arabic alphabet for the Italian language.

Italarab alphabet

Italarab alphabet - consonants

Download an alphabet chart for Italarab (Excel)

Notes

The letter ا is silent word-initially, but it represents the vowel [a] afterwards. When اا is needed at the beginning of a word, آ is used in its place.
Letters and diacritics used for foreign and/or dialectal words. The sounds they represent are rare or completely absent in standard Italian, they are therefore often approximated to the closest common sound. For example ق may simply be pronounced as [k], and ذ as [d], [(d)z] or [v].
The addition of a ◌ٕ diacritic below is used to represent new sounds deriving from the historical palatalization of the original sounds. So ت t [t], د d [d], ر r [r], ښ [sk], ك c [k], گ g [ɡ], ل l [l], ن n [n] become تٕ z [ts], دٕ z [dz], رٕ i [j], سٕ sc(i) [ʃ], كٕ c(i) [tʃ], گٕ g(i) [dʒ], لٕ gl(i) [ʎ], نٕ gn [ɲ] respectively. The usage of either the diacritic or an entirely different letter depends on the specific word and/or the writer's preferences and style (see the description of the system).
Given the complex relation between [s] and [z] in Italian, their difference is mostly ignored in native or nativized words and they are both spelled with س. Foreign and dialectal words where a clearly distinct [z] is needed can use the letter ز for such sound.
These letters have some native use besides that of letters for foreign sounds.

A more detailed description of Italarab (PDF)

Sample texts

Article 1 of the Italian Constitution without vowel diacritics

ل‌ایتلیة عهء اون رپوبلیك دېمكرتیك، فندات سول‌لڢࢫر. لاسڢرانیتىٕ اپرتؠن آل‌پپل، كه لااسرچیت نلې‌فࢫرمې عه نی‌لیمیتی دېلاكࢫستیتوتٕیࢫن.

Article 1 of the Italian Constitution with vowel diacritics

توتی ڸ‌عسېری هومانی ناښن لیبری عد اېڰالی این دیڼیتىٕ عه دیریتی. اسی سن دࢫتاتی دی رجࢫن عه دی كࢫشنتٕ عه دېڢن اجیر ڸ‌اونی ۋرس ڸ‌التری این سپیریت دی فراتلنتٕ.

Transliteration

L'Italia è una Repubblica democratica, fondata sul lavoro. La sovranità appartiene al popolo, che la esercita nelle forme e nei limiti della Costituzione.

Translation

Italy is a democratic Republic founded on labour. Sovereignty belongs to the people, who exercise it in the forms and within the limits laid down by the Constitution.
(Article 1 from the Constitution of the Italian Republic)

Article 1 of the UDHR without vowel diacritics

لْ‌ایتَلۡیَة عِهء اونَ رِپوبّۡلیكَ دېمُكۡرَتیكَ، فُنۡداتَ سولۡ‌لَڢࢫرُ. لاسُڢۡرانیتٰىٕ اَپَّرۡتؠنِ آلۡ‌پُپُلُ، كِه لااِسِرۡچیتَ نِلّې‌فࢫرۡمې عِه نِیۡ‌لیمیتی دېلّاكࢫسۡتیتوتٕۡیࢫنِ.

Article 1 of the UDHR with vowel diacritics

توتّی ڸْ‌عِسّېری هومانی ناښُنُ لیبِری عِد اېڰالی این دیڼّیتٰىٕ عِه دیریتّی. اِسّی سُنُ دࢫتاتی دی رَجࢫنِ عِه دی كࢫشِّنتَٕ عِه دېڢُنُ اَجیرِ ڸْ‌اونی ۋِرسُ ڸْ‌اَلتری این سپیریتُ دی فراتِلَّنتَٕ.

Transliteration

Tutti gli esseri umani nascono liberi ed eguali in dignità e diritti. Essi sono dotati di ragione e di coscienza e devono agire gli uni verso gli altri in spirito di fratellanza.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

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