Early Medieval Arabic (Hardcover)

Karin C. Ryding

ISBN 10: 0878406638 / ISBN 13: 9780878406630

Published by Georgetown University Press, Washington, DC, 1998

About this Item

Hardcover. The first book in English on the founder of Arabic linguistic theory, this interdisciplinary collection explores the contributions to Arabic intellectual history of al-Khalil ibn Ahmad, (d. A.H. 175/A.D. 791). Al-Khalil was distinguished in his own time as a lexicographer, phonologist, grammarian, educator and musicologist. In the Arab world, his stature is almost legendary, although information on his life, his works and his achievements is fragmented. He is remembered principally for two achievements: the creation of the first dictionary of the Arabic language ( Kitab al-'ayn, "The Book of 'ayn"), and discovery of the rule-governed metrical systems used in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry. His biographers also cite publications on musical theory and have preserved fragments of his poetry. In addition to these achievements, he was also the teacher of the medieval Islamic world's most distinguished authority on Arabic grammar, Sibawayh. Conceived as a tribute to al-Khalil's influence on Arabic language sciences, this book provides a new and broader perspective on al-Khalil's talents, character, and fields of interest.It should be of interest to Arabic linguists, medievalists, historians of linguistics, theoretical linguists, historians of science and scholars of medieval Arab intellectual history. Al-Khalil was distinguished in his own time as a lexicographer, phonologist, grammarian, educator and musicologist. This is an interdisciplinary collection that explores the contributions to Arabic intellectual history of al-Khalil ibn Ahmad, (d AH 175/AD 791). Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780878406630

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Early Medieval Arabic (Hardcover)
• Publisher: Georgetown University Press, Washington, DC
• Publication Date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0878406638
• ISBN 13: 9780878406630
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

The first book in English on the founder of Arabic linguistic theory, this interdisciplinary collection explores the contributions to Arabic intellectual history of al-Khalil ibn Ahmad, (d. A.H. 175/A.D. 791).

Al-Khalil was distinguished in his own time as a lexicographer, phonologist, grammarian, educator and musicologist. In the Arab world, his stature is almost legendary, although information on his life, his works and his achievements is fragmented. He is remembered principally for two achievements: the creation of the first dictionary of the Arabic language (Kitab al-'ayn, "The Book of 'ayn"), and discovery of the rule-governed metrical systems used in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry. His biographers also cite publications on musical theory and have preserved fragments of his poetry. In addition to these achievements, he was also the teacher of the medieval Islamic world's most distinguished authority on Arabic grammar, Sibawayh.

Conceived as a tribute to al-Khalil’s influence on Arabic language sciences, this book provides a new and broader perspective on al-Khalil’s talents, character, and fields of interest. It should be of interest to Arabic linguists, medievalists, historians of linguistics, theoretical linguists, historians of science and scholars of medieval Arab intellectual history.

About the Author

Karin C. Ryding is professor emerita in the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies Georgetown University. She is the author of Formal Spoken Arabic: Basic Course and Formal Spoken Arabic: FAST Course (both published by Georgetown University Press).