The Arabic Language

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Versteegh, C. H. M.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Arabic language.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (1 p.)

Edition:

Third edition

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh University Press, 2026.

Summary:

This is the third edition, fully revised and updated, of this indispensable introduction to Arabic linguistics. New for this edition: Presents new perspectives on the history of Arabic from the period before Islam in two completely revised chapters reporting on the ground-breaking discoveries in this field Covers recent developments in language use in the media after the Arab Spring Examines the influence of social media on language use and language attitudes concerning Arabic, and the use of the language in political and religious discourse Contains text samples of Standard Arabic in Arabic script and English translation as well as dialect texts in the major Arabic dialects Engages with the huge amount of new publications on Arabic linguistics, including several handbooks Concentrating on the difference between the two types of Arabic - the classical standard language and the dialects - Kees Versteegh charts the history and development of the Arabic language from its earliest beginnings to the modern age. The reader is given a solid grounding in the structure of the language, its historical context and its use in various literary and non-literary genres, as well as an understanding of the role of Arabic as a cultural, religious and political world language. Key features: Covers all aspects of the history of Arabic, the Arabic linguistic tradition, Arabic dialects, sociolinguistics and Arabic as a world language Makes links between linguistic history and cultural history Emphasises the role of contacts between Arabic and other languages

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface to the First Edition

Preface to the Second Edition

Preface to the Third Edition

Figures, Maps and Tables

Note on Transcription and Glossing

1 The Study of Arabic

2 Arabic as a Semitic Language

3 Arabs and Arabic: The Epigraphic Record

4 The Language of the Arabian Tribes

5 The Emergence of New Arabic

6 The Development of Classical Arabic

7 The Structure of Arabic

8 The Arabic Linguistic Tradition

9 Middle Arabic

10 The Study of the Arabic Dialects

11 The Dialects of Arabic

12 The Emergence of Modern Standard Arabic

13 Diglossia: Language Variation

14 Bilingualism: Language Choice

15 Arabic as a Minority Language

16 Arabic Pidgins and Creoles

17 Arabic as a World Language

Bibliography

Abbreviations

Index

ISBN:

1-3995-4271-0

9781399542715