\setupbodyfont[arb]
\setarab
\setxnash

\define[1]\arterm{{\arabfalse \transtrue \<#1>}}

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\section{Invoking Arabic in Context}
In the Arabtex package, written by Klaus Lagally, Arabic text can be introduced in two ways:

The first is a brief notation, i.e. \type{\<}, for single words or short phrases: \type{\<mu.hammad>}, e.g. \<mu.hammad>. With and without vocalization etc.
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Or \type{\<mu.hammad 'i_d q"aAm zay"d" + i_d yaqUm zayd + A_d zyd q"aAm>}, resulting in: \<mu.hammad 'i_d q"aAm zay"d" + i_d yaqUm zayd + A_d zyd q"aAm>\footnote{\<mu.hammad>.}

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The second is the environment \type{\startarabic} for entire paragraphs:
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\starttyping
\startarabic
mu.hammad 'i_d q"aAm zay"d" + i_d yaqUm zyd + A_d zyd q"aAm
\stoparabic
\stoptyping

Which results in:

\startarabic
mu.hammad 'i_d q"aAm zay"d" + i_d yaqUm zyd + A_d zyd q"aAm
\stoparabic

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Second test:

\startarabic
mu.hammad 'i_d q"aAm zay"d" + i_d yaqUm zyd + A_d zyd q"aAm
\stoparabic


{\em As can be seen, the command generates a brief sequence of nonsensical Arabic. I hope this can be fixed!}

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%Short and long lists alike work flawlessly:

%\startitemize[1., packed]
%\item \<al-maq.sad>?
%\item \<mu.hammad 'i_d q"aAm zay"d">
%\stopitemize

%\startitemize[1., packed]
%\item \<Al|ll_ah akbar>
%\item \<.himAyaT>, nog iets in het Nederlands.
%\item \<.himAyaT>, nog iets in het Nederlands.
%\item \<mu.hammad 'i_d q"aAm zay"d">
%%%\item {\transtrue \arabfalse \<mu.hammad 'i_d q"Am zay"d">}
%%%\item {\arabtrue \transfalse \<.himAyaT>}, nog iets in het Nederlands.
%\item \<.himAyaT>, nog iets in het Nederlands.
%\item \<mu.hammad 'i_d q"aAm zay"d">
%\stopitemize

\section{Transcription issues}

With the Arabtex package it is possible to generate a transcription based on the same input by means of the command \type{\transtrue}. (The Arabic script can be switched off altogether with \type{\arabicfalse}.) The transcription is indispensible in scholarly work. An example of a transcription is \type{\arabfalse \transtrue \<madInaT, makkaT>} \arabfalse \transtrue \<madInaT, makkaT>.

\subsection{hamza and 'ayn}
However, if the input contains a \type{\<`>} or \type{\<'>}, the signs for {\em `ayn} and {\em hamza}, Context gets stuck, e.g. \type{\arabfalse \transtrue \<`abd al-qAdir>} and \type{\<'a.hmad>} do not work. The transcription of \type{\<`>} is something like al raised c, whereas that of \type{\<'>} is an inverted c. The ones Lagally has devised are very beautiful.

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\subsection{The command \type{cap}}
Furthermore, the command \type{\cap} does not seem to work. (In transcription mode, the command \type{\cap} changes the first letter into a capital.), e.g. \type{\transtrue \arabfalse \<\cap zakariyA, \cap bayrUt, \cap dima^sq>}.

So \type{\<\cap mu.hammad>} should result in {\it Mu\d{h}ammad}, etc.
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All these flaws in the Arabic support still prevent me from migrating to Context, even though the interface is superior. I really do hope someone can fix them.

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Robert Ermers

System: Miktex, most recent version of Context, downloaded 04-01.2004.

Find the log file attached.
\stoptext