About

The ALiDiM project delves into the intricate process of standardization of Classical Arabic, a language deeply intertwined with Arab(ic)-Islamic culture. Since the seventh century C.E., Arabic scholars have meticulously worked toward defining the structure of Classical Arabic, drawing from sources such as pre-Islamic Bedouin varieties, poetry, and the Qurʾān.

ALiDiM aims to unravel this complexity by conducting a metalinguistic analysis of the standardization process, shedding light on the earliest stages of the Arabic linguistic tradition. By examining how early Arabic scholars described and systematized Classical Arabic, the project seeks to uncover the cultural and social dynamics that shaped the language.

Through interdisciplinary research, ALiDiM situates the analysis of how Classical Arabic was codified within a broader cultural framework. The project centers around grammatical and lexicographical sources of the Arabic linguistic tradition produced between the 7th and the 10th centuries, investigating the sociopolitical contexts, methodologies, and sources utilized by scholars as well as the potential influence of other linguistic traditions. By examining the description, systematization, and cultural functions of Classical Arabic, ALiDiM aims to illuminate its role as a cultural and communicative linchpin for the emerging Arab-Islamic community.

For this investigation, ALiDiM analyzes the linguistic and extralinguistic factors that contributed to the grammar-making, exploring the several dimensions that influenced the process of codification of Classical Arabic. This includes the impact of political and religious dimensions, the role of key scholars and intellectuals, and the cross-cultural exchanges with other linguistic traditions. By providing a comprehensive examination of these factors, the project aims to offer a nuanced understanding of how Classical Arabic was shaped by and in turn influenced the cultural and social landscapes of the time.

ALiDiM provides fresh insights into the formative period of Classical Arabic, illustrating its pivotal role in configuring and challenging cultural and social boundaries. This project offers valuable perspectives on the intersection of language, culture, and identity, showcasing the enduring legacy of Classical Arabic in the Arabic-speaking world.

Objectives

The ALiDiM project seeks to unravel the reasons behind, and the mechanisms of, the codification of Classical Arabic. This exploration employs a novel methodological approach that merges textual and metalinguistic analysis. By examining how grammarians engaged in defining the structure of a culture-based means of communication, the project highlights this as a remarkable instance of the role of scholars in the service of the political nature of grammar-making. Through this investigation, the project aims to illuminate the significant role Classical Arabic has played and continues to play in the history of Arabic-speaking communities.

The research objectives of the ALiDiM project are:

  1. Reframe the history of language standardization: move beyond linguistically-driven models to highlight how languages are constructed and flaunted as symbols of identity within various cultural and political contexts.
  2. Introduce innovative methodologies: develop an approach that synthesizes textual and metalinguistic analysis to study culturally relevant texts, focusing on the literature of the Arabic linguistic tradition.
  3. Broaden the analytical focus: extend the analysis from purely textual examination to a broader perspective, including the use of linguistic literature as political symbols, the process of community building through language policies, and the impact of these policies on the speaker community over time.

To achieve these broader objectives, the ALiDiM project will undertake four major steps, each focusing on a crucial aspect of the standardization process:

  1. Analysis of primary sources: examine the sources used in grammatical treatises to support linguistic arguments and descriptions. This includes:
    • how and to what extent these sources are utilized;
    • whether different grammarians used the same sources to support opposing views;
    • identifying prevailing positions and understanding why they dominated.
  2. Formation of linguistic terminology: investigate the development of the specialized lexicon used in linguistic and grammatical disciplines:
    • how fundamental terms were introduced and evolved;
    • possible external influences, such as whether terms correspond to their equivalents in neighboring grammatical traditions (e.g., Greek and Syriac).
  3. Influence of other traditions: assess the impact of other traditions on the origin and formation of the Arabic linguistic thinking:
    • trace possible pathways through which traditions like Greek may have influenced the earliest stages of the Arabic linguistic tradition, even before the Greek scholarship translations in the third and fourth centuries of the Islamic era.
  4. Role of grammarians: evaluate the role of grammarians in developing the linguistic system:
    • assess the extent of grammarians' intervention in systematizing the language through their use, interpretation, and transmission of sources;
    • analyze the formulation and subsequent reception of grammatical descriptions based on linguistic data.

Methodology

The ALiDiM project’s innovative approach focuses on synthesizing textual and metalinguistic analysis, with the aim to uncover the detailed processes undertaken by Arabic grammarians. By returning to primary sources and employing an interdisciplinary perspective, we strive to offer new insights into the socio-political dimensions of language standardization and the historical significance of Classical Arabic in the Arab-Islamic world.

  • Text-based approach: the project's methodology begins with a return to primary sources, moving beyond modern interpretations to focus on the original metalinguistic processes of language description. This involves a detailed study of the earliest and most representative texts of the tradition, such as the Kitāb Sībawayhi, the al-Ǧumal fī al-Naḥw, the al-Muqtaḍab, the Maʿānī al-Qurʾān, and the Kitāb al-ʿAyn. Their linguistic descriptions will serve as benchmarks for comparison with other sources identified based on the findings.
  • Methodological innovation: the project seeks to develop a novel approach that merges textual analysis from a linguistic and philological perspective with a broader metalinguistic framework. This approach includes historical and comparative perspectives, enabling pioneering research on how linguistic literatures and language standardization processes reflect socio-political demands, using the Arabic linguistic tradition as a case study.
  • Metalinguistic analysis: the project focuses on the metalinguistic analysis of the standardization of Classical Arabic (fuṣḥā) as described by early Arabic scholars. By studying the earliest Arabic grammatical works collectively, the project aims to uncover insights traditionally missed when these texts are analyzed in isolation.
  • Ethnolinguistic and philosophical insights: the ethnolinguistic approach will explore how local conceptualizations influenced the systematization of Arabic, revealing the connection between the standardized variety and socio-cultural factors of the period. Meanwhile, the philosophy of language approach will examine how Arabic was integrated into the Arab-Islamic Empire as a distinctive identity marker.
  • Interdisciplinary approach: the project broadens the scope of linguistic literature analysis by embedding it in a wider cultural context. This interdisciplinary approach incorporates methods from ethnolinguistics and philosophy of language, allowing an analysis of sources within their cultural milieu and in relation to other regional grammatical traditions.