Sultans Armed Forces (4 results)

Soft cover. Condition: Good. Self wraps, 8pp stapled foolscap. Good, centre-folded with wear and closed tears. Text complete with no indication of a cover page. Extremely rare. MEC St Antony's College lists it in its Anthony Lamond Collection. No author, publisher or date is given but Lamond served with the SAF Desert Regiment and as Intelligence Officer during 1970-72. A photo titled "Practicing our 'Awful Arabic'" in a 1970 issue of Sandhurst's Wish Stream suggests it was well established by then. No other references found. This came inside the copy of SAF's Elementary Omani Colloquial Arabic included here. Gilt-titled burgundy leatherette 18x24cm, 176pp. Fine with armorial bookplate of John Swynfen Elliott. Very little has been found on Elliott. He was likely born in India (1934-2020) to Percy William Elliott (born Ahson Ali Khan, Superintendent at the Lucknow Secretariat) and Erine Margaret Staines. His coat of arms with Khanjah set prominently in a shield with two bows suggests close ties to the region. The book prepared by HQ Education Services dates to the Dhofar War (July 1974). British officers on voluntary loan to SAF usually took a 12 week Arabic course in the UK, while those on contract after mid-1972 were taught in Muscat. This was prepared for those who had not done the course, or wanted to adapt their Arabic to Omani. It contains 9 units and 24 word lists relating to military, geography etc. In sharp stylistic contrast, "Awful Arabic" was prepared for intensive use on patrol and with Arabs in the polyglot SAF. It aims to boost the user's confidence, promote understanding and respectful interaction, and accelerate learning by grasping the basics and embracing mistakes. Sections cover recognising an Arab, Notes on Awful Arabic, Custom in Oman, Awful Arabic Grammar, Odds and Awful Ends, Awful Arabic Phrases, The Final Word, Basic Arabic Vocabulary. Thus "FIRST - make sure that the bloke you are speaking to IS an Arab. It is quite possible that he could be a Baloochi from Iran or Baluchistan, a Kojah from Sind, a Hindu from Bombay, or even a Jebali from Dhofar. All Arabs wear dishdashes; and except for small Arabs, have beards". Most Artillery gunners for example were Makran Baluchis so there was separate training in Urdu. And British officers training Firqa loyalists would learn Jebali dialects. Greetings are proposed to break the ice with a quiet clear "Al hamdu l'Ilah". Speak slowly, clearly, and "don't despair - make up your sentence from the word lists". Most Arabs are illiterate, usually very friendly and exceedingly hospitable "BUT remember - if you eat too much; it is the wife and the children who will go hungry". Most soldiers will understand military English so "Don't bother to learn the Arabic for words like 'Threetonner', 'Rifle'", etc. Guidance is given for entering a home and accepting hospitality. On grammar "Don't worry too much - they don't either. Just string words together as you would in English". This is followed by a list of imperatives. As Arab time starts at Sunset, always confirm time by asking "Arabee aw Ingleezi?". Odds and Awful Ends covers plurals and negatives. Awful Arabic Phrases begin with 4 essentials for reporting an Arab's name (name, son of, tribe, and village) "otherwise the information is incomplete and worthless". There is a list of corrupted English words used by Arabs. The Final Word encourages the user to engage and persevere: "Get out and about, find yourself an Arab, use awful Arabic on him, but much more important LISTEN to what he says". The book frames the same advice as follows: "The beginner is recommended to seek the help of an Omani as he works through the course --- As soon as the student has learned two or three words of Arabic he should use them at every opportunity and not be afraid of making mistakes" (p5). (Ref: MEC GB165-0400; Sandhurst, Wish Stream Autumn 1970: 53; McFadden & Thomson, Gunners in Oman, 2016: 10, National Archives Mss Eur D1038).

Condition: Very Good. First edition. Hardback. Small quarto. 176pp. Original dark red vinyl cloth with gilt titles. Light wear to covers with gilt rubbed at spine, a couple of small marks to fore-edge, otherwise very good. No jacket.

hardcover. 1974 Edition. 176pp, original decorative burgundy boards, Fine. A lovely copy. . Glacier Books are experienced and professional booksellers. We take pride in offering carefully described books and excellent customer service.

First and only edition of this scarce and unusual military vocabulary and grammar; an online institutional search showing just four locations: British Library, Oxford (Bodleian), St Andrews, and Bamberg. There is a fifth copy in the archives of Edward Ashley (1934-2001), who served two tours in Oman with the Sultan's Armed Forces, which is now held by St Antony's College, Oxford. Written for the benefit of British personnel serving with the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces in the final years of the long-running Omani Civil War (1963-1976), also known as the Dhofar Rebellion, the focus is purely on a spoken, working knowledge of Arabic. The preface states that this can only be achieved by speaking to Omanis as one works through the book's nine units and twenty-four word lists. The units are each structured around a small introductory vocabulary, a ruthlessly simplified grammar, and sample dialogues, with later units adding revision. There is remarkably little sense here that its readership would be on active service: there are numerous dialogues around ordering tea, making polite conversation, and establishing the rank of your military interlocutor. The word lists include military locations, formations, "weapons and connected terms", weather, animals, insects, and agriculture. There is also a vein of humour here; at page 111 the suggestion is made that the expression "Tally-ho!" may have an Arabic origin: "it has been suggested that the Saracens used this as a rallying cry, and that it may have been brought back to England by returning Crusaders, who used it in their crusades against the fox". Provenance: with the contemporary ownership inscription on front free endpaper of D. McIntosh of the Sultan on Oman's Navy (SON), with several annotations and corrections in his hand. Small quarto. With 2 diagrams in the text. Original red leatherette, lettered in gilt on spine and front cover. A touch rubbed with the lettering faded, some marks to covers, edges foxed. A very good copy.