Englizy Book

The Visual Interpretation of Latin Fonts in the Arabic World 

For centuries, ideas and stories have been exchanged between Latin and Arabic cultures through translation. Yet with globalization, what now crosses borders isn’t only language — but also logos, visuals, typefaces, and shapes. In Europe, we rarely stop to consider how these visual forms are perceived elsewhere. Do Arabic audiences, for example, interpret Latin letters the same way we do? Can they distinguish between the lowercase “l,” the number “1,” and the Arabic letter Alif (ا)?

As a communication designer and an Arab who has lived in Europe for many years, I aim to explore the visual intersection between Latin and Arabic scripts. My study seeks to uncover a shared visual ground that could inform a more coherent, globally inclusive approach to corporate identity design. Additionally, I intend to examine how major international brands have adapted their identities into Arabic, analyzing what has been achieved — and what opportunities remain for a truly unified visual language.