Arabic: A Linguistic Introduction

by Karin C. Ryding

Overview

This lively introduction to the linguistics of Arabic provides students with a concise overview of the language's structure and its various components: its phonology, morphology and syntax. Through exercises, discussion points and assignments built into every chapter, the book presents the Arabic language in vivid and engaging terms, encouraging students to grasp the complexity of its linguistic situation. It presents key linguistic concepts and theories related to Arabic in a coherent way, helping to build students' analytical and critical skills. Key features: • Study questions, exercises, and discussion topics in every chapter encourage students to engage with the material and undertake specific assignments • Suggestions for further reading in every chapter allow readers to engage in more extensive research on relevant topics • Technical terminology is explained in a helpful glossary

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781107606944
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	03/20/2014
Pages:	197
Product dimensions:	6.02(w) x 8.94(h) x 0.43(d)

About the Author

Karin C. Ryding is Sultan Qaboos bin Said Professor Emerita of Arabic Linguistics at Georgetown University, where she taught Arabic linguistics for over twenty years.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations and symbols used in this book; 1. Arabic linguistics: overview and history; 2. Arabic phonology; 3. Arabic phonotactics and morphophonology; 4. Arabic syllable structure and stress; 5. Introduction to Arabic morphology; 6. Derivational morphology: the root/pattern system; 7. Non-root/pattern morphology and the Arabic lexicon; 8. Arabic inflectional morphology; 9. Syntactic analysis and Arabic; 10. Arabic syntax I: phrase structure; 11. Arabic syntax II: clause structure; Appendix 1. Fields of linguistics and Arabic; Appendix 2. Arabic transcription/transliteration/romanization; Appendix 3. Nominal declensions; Glossary of technical terms.

Editorial Reviews

"This highly accessible book serves two constituencies: Arabists who wish to learn the basics of linguistic theory and how it applies to Arabic, and linguists who wish to learn the basics of Arabic and how it fits into linguistic theory. This double task is performed with great clarity and economy. Karin C. Ryding deserves our thanks for filling this gap in the study of Arabic. Her book will appeal to a wide readership and will be required reading for generations of students."
Yasir Suleiman, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Sa'id Professor of Modern Arabic Studies, University of Cambridge

"Addressing itself almost exclusively to the Arabic of writing and formal declamation, this work provides a much-needed introductory framework for applying the analytical principles of general linguistics to the language." David Wilmsen, American University of Beirut

"… thanks to its clarity and precision, it will be a very valuable tool both for advanced students and non-specialist teachers of Arabic …"
Manuel Sartori, translated from Bulletin critique des annales islamologiques

From the Publisher