Alam Simsim

Alam Simsim

"Alam Simsim" ( _ar. عالم سمسم) is an Arabic language Egyptian-made adaptation of the format used in the children's television series "Sesame Street". Alam Simisim is Arabic for "Sesame World".

The show, funded by the U.S. Government's U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID,) is a cooperative project between Egypt's Karma Production and the US's Sesame Workshop (formerly Children's Television Workshop). This effort is one of several such cooperative projects funded by USAID in countries such as Russia and South Africa.

Satellite broadcaster Future Television of Lebanon picked up the show in November 2005, expanding possible viewership to more than 200 million viewers in the Arab States.

The show is set in the imaginary Alam Simsim (Sesame World) neighborhood in Egypt. This area is Medieval-looking like Old Cairo except perhaps more rural and green. It consists of a small public square surrounded by a park; a store owned by 'Am Gherghis; the carpenter's shop owned by 'Am Hussein with apartments above occupied by 'Am Hussein's family, 'Ama Kheireya his wife, Mona his teenage daughter and Kareem his young son. A bookstore or library (the same word is used for both in Arabic so it is hard to tell which is intended) is run by a young woman named Nabila. [http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2000/472/li1.htm] The humans are referred to as 'Am and 'Ama, which are "Uncle" and "Aunt" in Egyptian Arabic. These titles denote familiarity common in Egyptian neighborhoods [http://www.futuretvnetwork.com/Default.aspx?page=programpage&idprog=264] .

Characters

The show also includes three main Muppet characters who interact with the humans in the neighborhood just as they do on the original American program. Nimnim (tiny) is a large green furry character who wears a cap from upper Egypt and a patterned vest. He is a somewhat gentle and naive creature who enjoys gardening. Khokha (peach) is a furry pinkish orange colored puppet with long black hair. She is a very inquisitive, imaginative and confident character whose main message is to encourage young girls.Filfil (pepper) is a bearded furry purple puppet who often gets carried away with himself. He is a bit egotistical and loves to eat honey-sesame sticks [http://www.futuretvnetwork.com/Default.aspx?page=programpage&idprog=264] , [http://www.sesameworkshop.org/international/eg/eng/home.php]

Alam Simsim reuses many of the sketches from other versions of Sesame Street, dubbed into Egyptian Arabic. Some of these include segments using American Muppets, however some names are changed. Ernie and Bert are known as Shadi and Hadi, Elmo is called Tohfa (antique), Telly is named Mosaad while Grover is Antar. Kermit is simply called Kermit. [http://www.sesameworkshop.org/aboutus/newsletter_article.php?contentId=94620&type=sesame]

Language Learning

There is an interesting situation with the language of Alam Simsim, which has to do with early childhood education. The letter and reading segments are taught in Modern Standard Arabic which is the language that all Arabic children will use for reading and writing. However the skits are all in Egyptian Arabic dialect, that used in Egypt for regular interaction. For example, a segment on the letter Sin will show a picture of a car and call it by the Standard Arabic name, Sayara. However, cars that appear in skits will be called by the word 'Arabiya, as they are commonly known in Egypt. In this way, children learn that there are two words for the object depending on the context and therefore are not confused when learning to read Modern Standard Arabic. This is the same way that a bilingual child learns words in different languages at the same time.

External links

* [http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/features/egypt-sesamestreet.html USAID Announcement]
* [http://www.futuretvnetwork.com/Default.aspx?page=programpage&idprog=264 Future TV article on Alam Simsim]
* [http://www.alkarma.com/movie-simsim.htm Video clip of Alam Simsim from the Karma company]
* [http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2001/562/fe4.htm Al-Ahram (Egyptian newspaper) article on Alam Simsim]
* [http://www.futuretvnetwork.com/Default.aspx?page=programpage&idprog=264]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Simsim — may refer to:*Simsim, the word for sesame in various Semitic languages. Also widely used in Arab influenced East Africa. *Simsim, Gaza, a depopulated Arab village in what is today Israel *Alam Simsim, the Egyptian version of the children s… …   Wikipedia

  • Iftah Ya Simsim — ( ar. افتح يا سمسم) is the first Arabic speaking version of the children s television series Sesame Street . Indoor scenes have been taken in Kuwait, while outdoor scenes were in many Arab countries and the world. Actors, players and children… …   Wikipedia

  • 1, rue Sésame — Titre original Sesame street Genre Emission enfantine Créateur(s) Joan Ganz Cooney Lloyd Morrisett Pays d’origine États Unis Chaîne d’origine PBS Nombre de saisons 39 Nombre d’épisodes …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sesame Street — Este artículo o sección necesita referencias que aparezcan en una publicación acreditada, como revistas especializadas, monografías, prensa diaria o páginas de Internet fidedignas. Puedes añadirlas así o avisar al autor …   Wikipedia Español

  • Sesame Street — Infobox Television show name = Sesame Street caption = Sesame Street title card since 2007, taken from Episode 4135 (2007). show name 2 = genre = Children s television series creator = Joan Ganz Cooney and her Sesame Workshop staff writer =… …   Wikipedia

  • List of characters from international versions of Sesame Street — Sesame Street has many international versions across the world. Each uses some original characters, created specifically to represent their own culture. The following list highlights some of these characters. All characters are Muppets, unless… …   Wikipedia

  • Ernie — Infobox character name = Ernie series = Sesame Street , Play With Me Sesame caption = Ernie and his rubber duckie with Bert in a publicity still for Sesame Street . first = November 10, 1969 creator = portrayer = Jim Henson (1969 1990, deceased) …   Wikipedia

  • Suzanne Mubarak — (birth name Suzanne Saleh Sabet or Thabet) (Arabic: سوزان مبارك) (born February 28, 1941) is married to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and is the first lady of Egypt. The daughter of an Egyptian doctor and a Welsh nurse Lily May PalmerFact|date …   Wikipedia

  • List of guest stars on Sesame Street — 1* 14 Karat SoulA* Buzz Aldrin * Jason Alexander * Maya Angelou one segment with some of the kids and Elmo singing about the fact they like their names just fine . * Kofi Annan, one segment: Then the Secretary General of the United Nations, Annan …   Wikipedia

  • Suzanne Mubarak — (1989) Suzanne Mubarak (arabisch ‏سوزان مبارك‎, DMG Suzān Mubārak, geb. Sūzān Ṣāliḥ Thābit (auch Suzanne Saleh Sabet geschrieben); * 28. Februar 1941 in Al Minya, Ägypten) ist mit dem ehemaligen ägyptischen Staatspräs …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”