Causes and Principles in Arabic, (Paperback)

One of the interesting features in Arabic linguistics is the reference to causes and principles in the explanation of many linguistic phenomena. This scientific approach seems to have developed from the middle of the 8th century and onwards with the influence of Greek philosophy on Arabic linguistics and on other disciplines. The present book provides information on several causes and principles in Arabic morphology and phonology, with a strong focus on the words, letters and vowels. Examples, qur'anic quotations and verses are presented in both Arabic script and Roman transcription and different theories are explored. Some of the causes that are discussed are the choice of a certain letter or vowel to a form, different phonological changes such as the elision or the addition of a vowel or a letter and the likes or dislikes of certain combinations. The references to several works of linguistics from the classical period until our days elucidate many intricacies and reflect the interests of several linguists in these topics.