Where was Arabic first spoken?

It's difficult to pinpoint the exact location where Arabic was first spoken because its origins are deeply intertwined with the nomadic Arabian tribes who roamed the Arabian Peninsula. However, we can say that the core region where Arabic emerged and developed was the Arabian Peninsula, specifically the area around the Hijaz region in western Arabia.

Here's why:

* The Hijaz region was home to the Quraysh tribe, to which the Prophet Muhammad belonged. The Quran, revealed in Arabic, was initially spoken and understood by the Quraysh.

* The Hijaz region was a center of trade and cultural exchange, allowing for the spread of Arabic language and culture.

* The dialects spoken in the Hijaz region, including the Meccan dialect, are considered to be the closest to Classical Arabic, the standardized language of the Quran.

So, while we can't pinpoint a specific location, we can say that the Arabian Peninsula, and particularly the Hijaz region, was the birthplace of Arabic and the place where it evolved into a distinct language.