Arabic in Context : Essays on Language, Dialects, and Culture in Honour of Martin R. Zammit.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Frendo, Anthony J., author.

Contributor:

Gatt, Kurstin.

Series:

Semitic Languages and Cultures Series

Semitic Languages and Cultures Series ; v.31

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Arabic language--Dialects.

Arabic language.

Arabic language--Grammar.

Arabic language--Semantics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (434 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

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

3.2. Pattern Replication

3.3. Code-switching and Arabic Insertions

4.0. Conclusion

Locatives in the Spoken Arabic of Mardin (Turkey)

2.0. Locatives in the Spoken Arabic of Mardin

2.1. Locative Adverbs

2.2. Locative Prepositions

2.2.1. The Preposition ʿala

2.2.2. The Preposition ʿand/ʿənd

2.2.3. The Preposition baṛṛāt

2.2.4. The Preposition bayn

2.2.5. The Preposition fōq

2.2.6. The Preposition fi/fə

2.2.7. The Preposition ğamb

2.2.8. The Preposition ğawwāt

2.2.9. The Preposition ḥawl

2.2.10. The Preposition ḫalf

2.2.11. The Preposition əla

2.2.12. The Preposition mən

2.2.13. The Preposition qəddām

2.2.14. The Preposition taḥt

3.0. Conclusion

Perceptions of Malta in Arabic Proverbs and Idioms.

1.0. Introduction

2.0. The Role of Proverbs and Idioms

3.0. State of the Art

4.0. Collection of Proverbs

4.1. Transcription

4.2. English Translation

5.0. Themes

5.1. Theme 1: Malta as a Distant/Unreachable and Potentially Unfamiliar Location

5.2. Theme 2: Malta as a Non-existent Place

5.3. Theme 3: Malta as a Symbol of Religious Devotion

5.4. Theme 4: The Maltese as Importunate

5.5. Theme 5: The Maltese Language as Incomprehensible or Vulgar

5.6. Theme 6: Malta as a Poor Country

Recognisably Arabian: A Levantine/South-Arabian Morphosyntactic Bundle in Maltese

1.0. Enclitic -š in Maltese and Arabic

1.1. Negations with -š in Maltese and Arabic

1.2. Polar Interrogative -x in Maltese

1.3. Polar Interrogative šī in Arabic

1.4. Quantifier šī in Maltese and Arabic

2.0. A South Arabian Analogue

2.1. Quantifier śī in Mehri

2.2. Polar Interrogative śī in Mehri

2.2. Negations with śī in Mehri

3.0. Discussion: On Cycles and Contacts

3.1. A Jespersen Cycle in Arabic?

3.2. Contact Phenomena-Which Way?

3.3. Original Modern South Arabian śī

4.0. Closing the Cycle: Maltese Connections

Soul Inspiration from Wadi el Natrun: Ostrich Eggs as Reminders of Vigilance in Praying

2.0. The Ostrich and Its Eggs

2.1. The Ostrich, a Remarkable Bird

2.2. The Natural and Supernatural Ostrich Egg

2.2.1. Circulation and High-Society Usage

2.2.2. Symbolism in Various Religions

3.0. From Religious Symbolism to Ecclesiastic Art

3.1. A Quick Look at the Ethiopian Tradition

3.2. Symbolism of the Ostrich Egg in Western European Arts

3.3. Christian Arabic Manuscript Sources

3.3.1. The Arabic Physiologus and its Posterity.

3.3.2. Ibn Sabāʿ, The Precious Jewel in Ecclesiastical Sciences

3.3.3. The Anonymous Work on The Priesthood Ordination

3.3.4. Macarius III ibn al-Zaʿīm, Book on the Features of Certain Animals

3.3.5. Isṭīfān al-Duwayhī, The Light of the Holy Mysteries

4.0. Conclusions

Index

Blank Page.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9781805114949

1805114948

OCLC:

1493375616