El-Said Badawi

A few weeks go I cited the great dictionary of Egyptian Colloquial Arabic by Martin Hinds and El-Said Badawi, and noted that while Hinds passed away some time ago, I believed Professor Badawi, who trained generations of students in Arabic, including me, was still with us. Now, this sad news comes from the American University in Cairo:

It is with deep sorrow and an overwhelming sense of loss that we announce the passing of Professor Emeritus El-Said Badawi, Professor of Arabic Language and Linguistics in the Department of Applied Linguistics at the American University in Cairo. Dr. Badawi passed away on Saturday evening after a heroic battle with illness. The funeral procession took place on Sunday, March 16, and condolences may be extended at El Hamdiyya El Shazliyya Mosque on Thursday, March 20, after Maghreb prayers. Founder of the highly reputed MA program in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language and long-standing director of the Arabic Language Institute, Dr. Badawi was a distinguished member of the AUC community, which he joined in 1967. Famed for his groundbreaking scholarship, Dr.Badawi's erudition has inspired generations of Arabists in Egypt and around the world. A true educator, he was gifted in the classroom as well, reliably managing to bring out the very best in his students. While his passionate dedication to the field earned him their love and respect, his signature sparkling wit endeared him to friends and colleagues far and wide. Dr. Badawi is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary Badawi, retired veteran English instructor at AUC's ELI, and by four children and a number of grandchildren. The details of a memorial service at the university to celebrate his life and achievements will be announced in due course.