Arabic in Context : essays on language, dialects, and culture in honour of Martin R. Zammit / Anthony J. Frendo, Kurstin Gatt, Martin R. Zammit.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Frendo, Anthony J., author.

Gatt, Kurstin, author.

Zammit, Martin R., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Arabic language--Dialects.

Arabic language.

Arabic philology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (vi, 421 pages)

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, UK : Open Book Publishers, 2025.

Summary:

This Festschrift, Arabic in Context, is a tribute to the remarkable scholarly legacy of the Reverend Professor Martin R. Zammit. It celebrates his extensive contributions to the fields of Semitic Studies, Arabic linguistics, and comparative Semitic philology. Spanning decades of dedicated research and teaching, Professor Zammit's career has been marked by a profound engagement with the Arabic language and its diverse dialects, as well as its historical and cultural intersections with Maltese and Syriac. The volume features a carefully curated collection of essays authored by distinguished scholars, reflecting the breadth and depth of Professor Zammit's academic interests. Topics range from Arabic dialectology and phonetics to linguistic contact phenomena and the grammaticalisation processes in Semitic languages. Contributions explore the linguistic heritage of Central Asia, the Judeo-Arabic traditions of Libya and Syria, and the influences of Arabic on Maltese toponymy and idiomatic expressions. Together, these studies exemplify the rich interdisciplinarity and intellectual rigour that characterise Professor Zammit's work. This Festschrift not only honours Professor Zammit's enduring scholarly impact but also serves as a vital resource for linguists, philologists, and researchers in the fields of Arabic and Semitic studies. It stands as a testament to his dedication to fostering academic inquiry and dialogue, inspiring both colleagues and students alike. This volume ensures that his scholarly contributions will continue to influence and inform the field for years to come.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

Acknowledgements

Honouring a Gentleman, a Scholar, a Teacher, and a Pastor: The Legacy of Martin R. Zammit

The Current Situation in Arabic-Speaking Kishlaks of Central Asia

1.0. Introduction

2.0. The Verbal Composites

3.0. The Code-Switching

4.0. Changes Resulting from Language Contact and Internal Development Processes

5.0. The Vocabulary

6.0. Conclusion

References

Contextual Neutralisation of Voicing in Maltese Obstruents: A Historical Perspective

2.0. Corpus and Methodology 3.0. Regressive Voicing Assimilation and Word-final Obstruent Devoicing in Early Maltese

3.1. The Fifteenth Century

3.2. The Sixteenth Century

3.3. The Seventeenth Century

3.4. The Eighteenth Century

4.0. Discussion and Conclusion

Al-Shidyāq's Account of the Maltese Language: An Annotated Translation

Translation

On the Arabic Dialect of the Jews of Qāmišli (North-East Syria)

1.0. Initial Research Information

2.0. Short Historical Background

3.0. The Linguistic Informants

4.0. Dialectological Data

4.1. General

4.2. Phonology 4.2.1. Consonants

4.2.2 Vowels

4.3. Morphology

4.4. Syntax

4.5. Glossary

4.6. Unique Local Jewish Customs

5.0. Conclusions

Interpreting the Traces: On the Grammaticalisation of ˀaṯar

1.0. ˀaṯar and its Cognates in Semitic

1.1. The ʔṮR Root in Literary Arabic

1.2. The Cognates of ˀaṯar in Semitic

1.3. A case of Grammaticalisation in Hebrew

2.0. äṯṛ/äṯəṛ- in Ḥassāniyya Arabic

2.1. Attestations of the Lexeme

2.2. Grammaticalisation of äṯṛ

2.3. Semantically Related Expressions

3.0. Comparable Grammaticalisations in Arabic 3.1. Introduction

3.2. Adverbialised Uses

3.3. Uses with a Suffixed Pronoun

3.4. Presentative Uses

4.0. Conclusion

Abbreviations

Variations in the Writing System and Style of the Modern Judaeo-Arabic of Libya

2.0. Judaeo-Arabic

2.1. Chronological Classification

2.2. Stylistic Varieties

3.0. Materials

4.0. Variation in the Writing System

5.0. Variation in Style

6.1. Variation in the Writing System

6.2. Variation in Style

Documents in LJA

Secondary Sources Some Arab and Muslim Names Discernible in Maltese Toponymy

2.0. Essential Taxonymy

3.0. Arabic Nomenclature

4.0. An Inventory of Names

5.0. Conclusion

Author's Note

Koineisation and Language Contact in Syrian Ṭuroyo

2.0. Koineisation

2.1. Levelling, Linearisation, and Morphological Structure of the Predicate

2.2. Simplification and Pronominal Indices

2.3. Non-stabilised Levelling and Bound Pronouns

2.4. Conclusion of Koineisation

3.0. Language Contact

3.1. Matter Replication.

Notes:

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