al-Bahth al-Lughawi inda al-Arab
- Author died
- 1424 AH
- Editions
- Alam Al-Kutub
al-Bahth al-Lughawi inda al-Arab (Linguistic Research Among the Arabs) is a study of the history and development of Arabic linguistic sciences by the Egyptian linguist Ahmad Mukhtar Umar (d. 1424 AH / 2003 CE). First published in Cairo in 1971 under the extended title al-Bahth al-Lughawi inda al-Arab ma'a Dirasa li-Qadiyyat al-Ta'thur wa-l-Ta'thir (Linguistic Research Among the Arabs, with a Study of the Question of Influence and Borrowing), it surveys early Arabic phonetics, grammar, morphology, and lexicography alongside comparative traditions .
Scope and Methodology
The work provides a historical account of Arabic linguistic research from its earliest origins until its classical maturation, primarily delimiting its coverage to the end of the fifth century AH (eleventh century CE) . Umar posits that lexicographical traditions reached completion during the fifth century AH, whereas phonetic, grammatical, and morphological studies had attained their zenith in the preceding fourth century AH, after which subsequent scholarly output largely consisted of reiteration, commentary, summarization, or versification of earlier material . The author extends beyond this historical limit only when following sustained trajectories into later periods, specifically the evolution of lexicographical schools and modern calls for the reform and simplification of Arabic grammar . To contextualize Arab scholarship, the book also reviews non-Arab linguistic traditions to assess external contact and mutual influence .
Structure and Contents
The book is arranged into three principal parts:
- Part One: Introductory Studies (Dirasat Tamhidiyya): Examines the evidentiary sources relied upon by Arab linguists, including the Quran, variant Quranic readings (qira'at), prophetic Hadith, pre-Islamic and early Arabic poetry, and prose citations, along with methodological criticisms of these sources . A second chapter surveys linguistic inquiry in other civilizations, covering ancient Indian, Greek, ancient Egyptian, Syriac, and Hebrew traditions .
- Part Two: Linguistic Studies Among the Arabs (al-Dirasat al-Lughawiyya inda al-Arab): Comprises four chapters tracing specific linguistic disciplines:
- The Emergence Phase: Discusses early lexical inquiry such as Ibn Abbas's explanations of uncommon Quranic vocabulary (gharib), Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali's system of vocalization marks for the Quran, early fieldwork to compile linguistic material, the origins of grammatical writing, and early scholars including Abd Allah ibn Abi Ishaq, Isa ibn Umar, and Abu Amr ibn al-Ala .
- Phonetics: Charts phonetic thought across grammarians, lexicographers, Quranic recitation (tajwid) masters, rhetoricians, and encyclopedists, with focused analysis on the contributions of Ibn Jinni and Ibn Sina .
- Grammar and Morphology: Reviews early treatises, the seminal status of Sibawayh's al-Kitab, responses by scholars such as al-Mubarrad and Ibn Wallad, the development of the Basran and Kufan schools, and historical proposals for grammatical reform advanced by Abu al-Ala al-Ma'arri, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn Mada .
- Lexicography: Outlines lexicographical concepts, procedural steps of dictionary compilation, and classical structural arrangements, including phonetic arrangement, rhyme arrangement, and morphological ordering (such as al-Farabi's Diwan al-Adab and Nashwan al-Himyari's Shams al-Ulum), as well as thematic vocabularies (such as Ibn Sidah's al-Mukhassas) . It concludes with criticisms of classical lexicons and evaluates modern reform efforts by Arab scholars, European Orientalists, and Arabic language academies .
- Part Three: Influence and Interaction: Evaluates the degree of mutual influence and cross-cultural contact between Arab linguistic studies and foreign traditions .
Reception and Revisions
The work gained wide circulation in Arab universities, going through five editions within fifteen years of its initial publication . In subsequent revisions—notably the September 1987 edition—the author expanded several sections, incorporating refined analyses of early grammarians' attitudes toward Quranic readings and Hadith evidence, a dedicated examination of Ibn Sina's phonetic treatise Asbab Huduth al-Huruf, and an enlarged lexicography chapter addressing modern lexicographical methods, additional classical works such as Ibn Faris's Mujmal al-Lugha and Murtada al-Zabidi's al-Takmila, and practical guides for navigating early dictionary classification schemes .
Answer updated