In this fictional editorial meeting, researcher Rania, science writer Salim, accessibility coordinator Amina and library user Mazin develop a public explanation of a small wayfinding trial.
01Read the Arabic conversation
إِتَاحَةُ الْمَعْرِفَةِ الْأَكَادِيمِيَّةِ لِلْجُمْهُورِ
رَانِيَا: نُرِيدُ إِعْدَادَ مَادَّةٍ لِلْجُمْهُورِ عَنْ تَجْرِبَتِنَا لِلَّافِتَاتِ الْإِرْشَادِيَّةِ فِي الْمَكْتَبَةِ. شَارَكَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ مُتَطَوِّعًا، وَجَرَّبَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمْ تَرْتِيبَيْنِ لِلَّافِتَاتِ لِلْوُصُولِ إِلَى قَاعَةِ الْقِرَاءَةِ.
سَلِيمٌ: كَتَبْتُ عُنْوَانًا أَوَّلِيًّا: «لَافِتَاتٌ جَدِيدَةٌ تَضَعُ حَدًّا لِلْحَيْرَةِ فِي الْمَكْتَبَةِ». هُوَ جَذَّابٌ، لَكِنَّنِي أَخْشَى أَنْ يَعِدَ الْقَارِئَ بِأَكْثَرَ مِمَّا أَثْبَتَتْهُ تَجْرِبَتُنَا الْمَحْدُودَةُ بِهَؤُلَاءِ الْمُتَطَوِّعِينَ.
أَمِينَةُ: هَذَا التَّحَفُّظُ فِي مَحَلِّهِ. فَلَا نَعْرِفُ كَيْفَ سَتَعْمَلُ اللَّافِتَاتُ مَعَ جَمِيعِ الزُّوَّارِ، وَلَا فِي أَيَّامِ الِازْدِحَامِ. إِتَاحَةُ الْمَعْرِفَةِ لَا تَعْنِي حَذْفَ الشُّرُوطِ الَّتِي تُغَيِّرُ مَعْنَاهَا.
مَازِنٌ: وَبِوَصْفِي مِنْ رُوَّادِ الْمَكْتَبَةِ، أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَعْرِفَ مَا الْمُشْكِلَةُ الَّتِي دَرَسْتُمُوهَا بِالضَّبْطِ. هَلْ قِسْتُمْ سُرْعَةَ الْوُصُولِ، أَمْ رِضَا الزُّوَّارِ، أَمْ قُدْرَتَهُمْ عَلَى الْقِرَاءَةِ دَاخِلَ الْقَاعَةِ؟
رَانِيَا: قِسْنَا وَقْتَ الْوُصُولِ مِنَ الْمَدْخَلِ إِلَى الْقَاعَةِ فَقَطْ. وَلَمْ تَشْمَلِ الْعَيِّنَةُ أَشْخَاصًا ذَوِي إِعَاقَةٍ بَصَرِيَّةٍ؛ لِذَلِكَ لَا نَسْتَطِيعُ الْقَوْلَ إِنَّ التَّرْتِيبَ الْجَدِيدَ يَحُلُّ صُعُوبَاتِهِمْ.
سَلِيمٌ: إِذَنْ نَبْدَأُ بِالسُّؤَالِ وَالنَّتِيجَةِ الْمُحَدَّدَةِ: وَصَلَ ثَمَانِيَةٌ مِنْ أَصْلِ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ مُشَارِكًا بِسُرْعَةٍ أَكْبَرَ عِنْدَ اسْتِخْدَامِ التَّرْتِيبِ الْجَدِيدِ. هَلْ هَذِهِ صِيَاغَةٌ دَقِيقَةٌ لِمَا سَجَّلْتُمُوهُ؟
أَمِينَةُ: الْأَعْدَادُ الْمُبَاشِرَةُ أَوْضَحُ هُنَا مِنْ نِسْبَةٍ مِئَوِيَّةٍ وَحْدَهَا؛ فَهِيَ تُظْهِرُ صِغَرَ الْمَجْمُوعَةِ. لَكِنْ يَجِبُ أَنْ نَشْرَحَ أَيْضًا مَا جَرَى لِلْمُشَارِكِينَ الْأَرْبَعَةِ الْآخَرِينَ فِي التَّجْرِبَةِ.
مَازِنٌ: نَعَمْ، فَإِذَا ذَكَرْتُمْ مَنْ وَصَلُوا أَسْرَعَ وَحْدَهُمْ، فَقَدْ أَفْهَمُ أَنَّ الْبَقِيَّةَ اسْتَفَادُوا بِدَرَجَةٍ أَقَلَّ. أُرِيدُ صُورَةً تُتِيحُ لِي الْحُكْمَ، لَا عِبَارَةً تُرِيدُ مِنِّي التَّصْفِيقَ.
رَانِيَا: لَمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ وَقْتُ اثْنَيْنِ، وَاسْتَغْرَقَ اثْنَانِ وَقْتًا أَطْوَلَ. وَمَعَ أَنَّنَا بَدَّلْنَا تَرْتِيبَ التَّجْرِبَتَيْنِ بَيْنَ الْمُشَارِكِينَ، فَلَا نَسْتَبْعِدُ تَمَامًا أَثَرَ تَعَرُّفِهِمْ عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ فِي الْمُحَاوَلَةِ الْأُولَى.
سَلِيمٌ: سَأَضَعُ هَذِهِ النَّتَائِجَ الثَّلَاثَ فِي عَرْضٍ وَاحِدٍ، وَأَسْتَبْدِلُ الْعُنْوَانَ بِسُؤَالٍ عَنْ دَوْرِ اللَّافِتَاتِ فِي الْوُصُولِ. وَسَأَصِفُ مَا لَاحَظْنَاهُ دُونَ أَنْ أَنْسِبَ كُلَّ فَرْقٍ إِلَى التَّرْتِيبِ وَحْدَهُ.
أَمِينَةُ: وَلْتَظْهَرْ حُدُودُ التَّجْرِبَةِ قُرْبَ النَّتِيجَةِ، لَا فِي هَامِشٍ بَعِيدٍ. إِذَا قَرَأَ شَخْصٌ الْمُلَخَّصَ فَقَطْ، يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَفْهَمَ أَنَّهُ يَقْرَأُ عَنْ تَجْرِبَةٍ صَغِيرَةٍ لِمَهَمَّةٍ مُحَدَّدَةٍ.
مَازِنٌ: فِي الْمُسَوَّدَةِ تَظْهَرُ عِبَارَةُ «التَّوَجُّهِ الْمَكَانِيِّ» قَبْلَ أَيِّ مِثَالٍ. فَهِمْتُ الْمَقْصُودَ بَعْدَ شَرْحِكُمْ، لَكِنَّ الْقَارِئَ لَنْ يَجِدَكُمْ بِجَانِبِهِ. هَلْ نَبْدَأُ بِمَوْقِفٍ مَأْلُوفٍ لَهُ؟
رَانِيَا: يُمْكِنُ أَنْ نَصِفَ زَائِرًا يَدْخُلُ الْمَكْتَبَةَ وَيَبْحَثُ عَنِ الْقَاعَةِ، ثُمَّ نُسَمِّيَ الْفِكْرَةَ وَنَشْرَحَهَا. لَا أَرَى حَرَجًا فِي اسْتِخْدَامِ الْمُصْطَلَحِ إِذَا كَانَ يَأْتِي بَعْدَ تَوْضِيحٍ يَجْعَلُهُ مَفْهُومًا.
سَلِيمٌ: سَأُرَتِّبُ الْمَادَّةَ فِي مُسْتَوَيَيْنِ: مُلَخَّصٍ قَصِيرٍ يَكْفِي لِفَهْمِ السُّؤَالِ وَالنَّتِيجَةِ وَحُدُودِهَا، وَشَرْحٍ أَوْسَعَ لِمَنْ يُرِيدُ مَعْرِفَةَ الْإِجْرَاءَاتِ. هَكَذَا يَخْتَارُ الْقَارِئُ مِقْدَارَ التَّفْصِيلِ الْمُنَاسِبَ لَهُ.
أَمِينَةُ: وَسَأُرَاجِعُ بِنْيَةَ الصَّفْحَةِ وَعَنَاوِينَهَا، وَإِمْكَانَ التَّنَقُّلِ فِيهَا بِاسْتِخْدَامِ لَوْحَةِ الْمَفَاتِيحِ دُونَ الْفَأْرَةِ. تَبْسِيطُ الْجُمَلِ وَحْدَهُ لَا يَكْفِي إِذَا كَانَ الْوُصُولُ إِلَى الْمَحْتَوَى نَفْسِهِ صَعْبًا عَلَى بَعْضِ الْقُرَّاءِ.
مَازِنٌ: وَأُفَضِّلُ أَلَّا تَكُونَ الْمَادَّةُ مَقْطَعًا مُصَوَّرًا فَقَطْ. أَحْيَانًا أَقْرَأُ فِي مَكَانٍ لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ فِيهِ تَشْغِيلَ الصَّوْتِ، وَأُحِبُّ الِاحْتِفَاظَ بِنُسْخَةٍ نَصِّيَّةٍ أَعُودُ إِلَيْهَا دُونَ اتِّصَالٍ.
رَانِيَا: الْمِيزَانِيَّةُ مَحْدُودَةٌ، فَلْنَبْدَأْ بِنَصٍّ مُنَظَّمٍ يَسْهُلُ حِفْظُهُ وَقِرَاءَتُهُ، ثُمَّ نُضِيفُ تَسْجِيلًا صَوْتِيًّا إِنْ أَمْكَنَ. لَكِنَّ النُّسَخَ الْمُخْتَلِفَةَ يَجِبُ أَنْ تَنْقُلَ الْمَعْنَى الْأَسَاسِيَّ نَفْسَهُ.
سَلِيمٌ: سَأُضِيفُ رَسْمًا بَسِيطًا لِلتَّرْتِيبَيْنِ، مَعَ تَسْمِيَاتٍ لَا تَعْتَمِدُ عَلَى اللَّوْنِ وَحْدَهُ. وَأُرِيدُ وَصْفًا نَصِّيًّا يَشْرَحُ الْفَرْقَ الْمَقْصُودَ، بَدَلًا مِنْ عِبَارَةٍ عَامَّةٍ تَقُولُ إِنَّهُ رَسْمٌ لِلْمَكْتَبَةِ.
أَمِينَةُ: وَعِنْدَ إِعْدَادِ التَّسْجِيلِ نَذْكُرُ أَيْضًا مَنْ لَمْ تَتَحَسَّنْ أَوْقَاتُهُمْ. لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُؤَدِّي اخْتِصَارُ الصَّوْتِ إِلَى اخْتِفَاءِ نَتِيجَةٍ مُهِمَّةٍ أَوْ تَحَوُّلِ وَصْفٍ حَذِرٍ إِلَى وَعْدٍ مُؤَكَّدٍ.
مَازِنٌ: أَقْتَرِحُ أَنْ نُشْرِكَ قُرَّاءً مُخْتَلِفِينَ قَبْلَ اعْتِمَادِ الصِّيَاغَةِ. بَعْضُهُمْ يَسْتَخْدِمُ قَارِئَ شَاشَةٍ، وَبَعْضُهُمْ يَتَعَلَّمُ الْعَرَبِيَّةَ، وَآخَرُونَ لَا يَعْرِفُونَ الْمَكْتَبَةَ. هَؤُلَاءِ قَدْ يَسْأَلُونَ عَمَّا لَمْ نَنْتَبِهْ إِلَيْهِ.
رَانِيَا: أُرَحِّبُ بِذَلِكَ، عَلَى أَنْ نُتِيحَ لَهُمْ تَغْيِيرَ الْأَوْلَوِيَّاتِ وَطَرْحَ أَسْئِلَتِهِمْ، لَا أَنْ نَطْلُبَ تَأْيِيدَ مُسَوَّدَةٍ مُكْتَمِلَةٍ. مُشَارَكَتُهُمْ فِي تَصْمِيمِ الشَّرْحِ تَبْدَأُ قَبْلَ تَجْمِيلِ شَكْلِهِ النِّهَائِيِّ.
سَلِيمٌ: إِذَا دَعَوْنَا خَمْسَةَ قُرَّاءٍ لِلْمُرَاجَعَةِ، فَلَنْ نَعُدَّ آرَاءَهُمْ حُكْمًا عَلَى فَهْمِ الْجُمْهُورِ كُلِّهِ. سَنَسْتَخْدِمُهَا لِكَشْفِ مُشْكِلَاتٍ وَتَحْسِينِ النَّصِّ، مَعَ إِبْقَاءِ بَابِ الْمَلَاحَظَاتِ مَفْتُوحًا بَعْدَ النَّشْرِ.
أَمِينَةُ: وَلَنْ نَكْتَفِيَ بِسُؤَالِ «هَلْ أَعْجَبَتْكَ الْمَادَّةُ؟». سَنَطْلُبُ مِنَ الْقَارِئِ أَنْ يَجِدَ عَدَدَ الْمُشَارِكِينَ، وَيَشْرَحَ مَا قِيسَ، وَيَذْكُرَ شَيْئًا لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ التَّجْرِبَةُ إِثْبَاتَهُ، ثُمَّ نُصْغِي إِلَى تَعْلِيقِهِ.
مَازِنٌ: وَإِذَا تَعَثَّرَ أَحَدُهُمْ، فَلْنَسْأَلْ أَيْنَ وَاجَهَ الصُّعُوبَةَ. قَدْ يَكُونُ الرَّابِطُ غَيْرَ وَاضِحٍ، أَوْ تَكُونُ الْمَعْلُومَةُ بَعِيدَةً عَنِ السُّؤَالِ. لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ نَتَّهِمَ الْقَارِئَ بِضَعْفِ الِانْتِبَاهِ مُبَاشَرَةً.
رَانِيَا: سَنُسَجِّلُ التَّعْدِيلَاتِ الَّتِي اقْتَرَحَهَا الْقُرَّاءُ وَمَا اسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ مِنْهَا. وَسَنُوَضِّحُ أَنَّ مُرَاجَعَتَهُمْ تَخُصُّ عَرْضَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ؛ فَهِيَ لَا تَجْعَلُ عَيِّنَةَ التَّجْرِبَةِ الْأَصْلِيَّةِ أَوْسَعَ مِمَّا كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ.
سَلِيمٌ: سَأُعِيدُ صِيَاغَةَ الْعُنْوَانِ وَالْمُلَخَّصِ، وَأَرْبِطُ كُلَّ نَتِيجَةٍ بِحَدِّهَا الْمُنَاسِبِ. وَسَأُرْسِلُ الْمُسَوَّدَةَ لَكُمْ غَدًا قَبْلَ تَصْمِيمِ الرَّسْمِ، حَتَّى لَا يَصْعُبَ عَلَيْنَا تَغْيِيرُ تَرْتِيبِ الْأَفْكَارِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ.
أَمِينَةُ: وَسَأُقَارِنُ النَّصَّ وَالْوَصْفَ وَالتَّسْجِيلَ قَبْلَ النَّشْرِ، وَأَضَعُ تَارِيخَ التَّحْدِيثِ بِوُضُوحٍ. إِذَا صَحَّحْنَا رَقْمًا، يَجِبُ أَنْ يَصِلَ التَّصْحِيحُ إِلَى جَمِيعِ النُّسَخِ، لَا إِلَى الصَّفْحَةِ الَّتِي نَقْرَؤُهَا أَكْثَرَ.
مَازِنٌ: وَسَأُسَاعِدُ فِي دَعْوَةِ الْقُرَّاءِ وَجَمْعِ أَسْئِلَتِهِمْ. مَا أُرِيدُهُ لَيْسَ شَرْحًا خَالِيًا مِنَ التَّفَاصِيلِ، بَلْ شَرْحًا يُمَكِّنُنِي مِنْ فَهْمِهَا وَمُنَاقَشَتِهَا. عِنْدَئِذٍ أَكُونُ مُشَارِكًا فِي الْمَعْرِفَةِ، لَا مُتَلَقِّيًا لِعُنْوَانٍ جَذَّابٍ.
Show English translationHide English translation
Rania: We want to prepare public material about our library wayfinding-sign trial. Twelve volunteers participated, and each tried two arrangements of signs to reach the reading room.
Salim: My initial headline was “New signs end confusion in the library.” It is engaging, but I worry it promises readers more than our limited trial with these volunteers established.
Amina: That reservation is justified. We do not know how the signs would work for all visitors or on crowded days. Making knowledge accessible does not mean removing conditions that change its meaning.
Mazin: As a library user, I want to know exactly which problem you studied. Did you measure how quickly people arrived, visitor satisfaction, or their ability to read inside the room?
Rania: We measured only the time from the entrance to the room. The sample included no people with visual disabilities, so we cannot say the new arrangement resolves their difficulties.
Salim: Then we start with the question and the specific result: eight of the twelve participants arrived faster when using the new arrangement. Is that an accurate description of what you recorded?
Amina: The direct counts are clearer here than a percentage alone because they reveal the group’s small size. But we must also explain what happened to the other four participants in the trial.
Mazin: Yes. If you mention only those who arrived faster, I might assume the rest benefited to a smaller degree. I want a picture that lets me judge, not a statement asking for applause.
Rania: Two people’s times were unchanged, and two took longer. Although we varied which arrangement participants tried first, we cannot entirely rule out the effect of learning the route on their first attempt.
Salim: I will present all three outcomes together and replace the headline with a question about the signs’ role in finding the room. I will describe what we observed without attributing every difference solely to the arrangement.
Amina: The trial’s limitations should appear near the result, not in a distant footnote. Someone who reads only the summary should understand that this is a small trial of a specific task.
Mazin: The draft uses the phrase “spatial orientation” before giving any example. I understood it after your explanation, but readers will not have you beside them. Could we start with a situation familiar to them?
Rania: We could describe a visitor entering the library and looking for the room, then name and explain the idea. I see no problem with using the term if it follows an explanation that makes it understandable.
Salim: I will organise the material in two layers: a short summary sufficient to understand the question, result and limitations, and a fuller account for those interested in the procedure. Readers can then choose their preferred level of detail.
Amina: I will review the page structure, headings and keyboard navigation without a mouse. Simpler sentences alone are insufficient if some readers have difficulty accessing the content itself.
Mazin: I would prefer the material not to be video only. Sometimes I read somewhere I cannot play sound, and I like keeping a text version to return to offline.
Rania: Our budget is limited, so let us begin with organised text that is easy to save and read, then add an audio recording if possible. But the different versions must convey the same essential meaning.
Salim: I will add a simple diagram of the two arrangements, with labels that do not rely on colour alone. I want a text description explaining the relevant difference rather than merely saying it is a library diagram.
Amina: When preparing the recording, we also mention those whose times did not improve. Shortening the audio should not remove an important result or turn a cautious account into a definite promise.
Mazin: I suggest involving different readers before finalising the wording: some who use a screen reader, some learning Arabic, and others unfamiliar with the library. They may ask about things we have overlooked.
Rania: I welcome that, provided they can change priorities and raise their own questions rather than simply endorse a finished draft. Their involvement in designing the explanation begins before we polish its final appearance.
Salim: If we invite five readers to review it, we will not treat their views as a verdict on the whole public’s understanding. We will use them to identify problems and improve the text, while keeping feedback open after publication.
Amina: We will not merely ask, “Did you like the material?” We will ask readers to find the participant count, explain what was measured and name something the trial cannot establish, then listen to their comments.
Mazin: If someone struggles, let us ask where the difficulty occurred. A link may be unclear or information far from the question it answers. I do not want us immediately to blame the reader’s attention.
Rania: We will record readers’ suggested revisions and which we acted on. We will explain that their review concerns how knowledge is presented; it does not enlarge the sample in the original trial.
Salim: I will rewrite the headline and summary, connecting each result with its relevant limitation. I will send you the draft tomorrow before designing the diagram, so that changing the order of ideas later does not become difficult.
Amina: I will compare the text, description and recording before publication and clearly show the update date. If we correct a number, the correction must reach every version, not just the page we read most often.
Mazin: I will help invite readers and gather their questions. I do not want an explanation stripped of detail, but one that enables me to understand and discuss it. Then I participate in knowledge rather than merely receive an attractive headline.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| اللَّافِتَاتُ | the signs |
| عُنْوَانًا أَوَّلِيًّا | an initial headline |
| إِتَاحَةُ الْمَعْرِفَةِ | making knowledge accessible |
| رُوَّادِ الْمَكْتَبَةِ | library users |
| نِسْبَةٍ مِئَوِيَّةٍ | a percentage |
| حُدُودُ التَّجْرِبَةِ | the trial’s limitations |
| هَامِشٍ بَعِيدٍ | a distant footnote |
| مَوْقِفٍ مَأْلُوفٍ | a familiar situation |
| نُسْخَةٍ نَصِّيَّةٍ | a text version |
| وَصْفًا نَصِّيًّا | a text description |
| قَارِئَ شَاشَةٍ | a screen reader |
| تَغْيِيرَ الْأَوْلَوِيَّاتِ | changing the priorities |
03Check your understanding
Choose one answer for each question. Look back at the Arabic conversation for evidence. Open the English question support or a hint when you need help.
What to remember
- Keep the scope and limitations of a finding visible in a short explanation.
- Use examples, layered detail and accessible formats without changing the evidence.
- Invite readers to shape the explanation and check understanding before publication.
Explore the Arabic in this conversation
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this conversation.
Lakinna and Lakin in Arabic: Two Patterns for But
لَكِنَّ النُّسَخَ الْمُخْتَلِفَةَ يَجِبُ أَنْ تَنْقُلَ الْمَعْنَى الْأَسَاسِيَّ نَفْسَهُ
Use lakinna to add a requirement after agreeing on a practical starting format. Al-nusakha is its accusative noun.
Idha in Arabic: How to Say When and If
إِذَا صَحَّحْنَا رَقْمًا، يَجِبُ أَنْ يَصِلَ التَّصْحِيحُ إِلَى جَمِيعِ النُّسَخِ
Use idha to connect a possible correction with the requirement that follows it.
Lam in Arabic: How to Say “Did Not”
لَمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ وَقْتُ اثْنَيْنِ
See how lam negates a completed change and makes yataghayyar jussive, contrasting unchanged times with slower ones.
