Sibawaihi: Transformational grammar

By El Mouatamid Ben Rochd

THE BOOK
THIS BOOK is a short glimpse on the huge encyclopaedic work on Arabic grammar, achieved by Persian Sibawaihi ("apple smell"). To put it in Mazini's terms: "Whoever wants to write about (Arabic) grammar after Sibawaihi, let him feel humble". This book further shows that the transformational grammatical operation suggested in Chomsky's Syntactic Structures (1957) onward, is a fundamental principle of this masterpiece. It cuts across all levels of linguistic analysis, i.e. phonology, morphology, syntax and stylistics.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Books on Demand
• Release date: Mar 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9782322191369

El Mouatamid Ben Rochd

THE AUTHOR Dr. El Mouatamid Ben Rochd graduated from Fez University in 1978 (BA in American Civilization), obtained his Masters from York University in 1982 (MA in French Syntax) and his Doctorate in 1990 from the National University of Ireland (PhD in Theoretical Linguistics and the Structure of Arabic). He spent one year as Visiting Professor at the University of Washington. He is currently a freelance scholar of languages, cultures and philosophy.

Book preview

SIBAWAIHI

Title

Author

Contents

First a story!

Transformation

Morphology

Phonetics & Phonology

A Summary of Theoretical Background of Sibawaihi’s Al-Kitab

Conclusion

BIBLIOGRAPHY

GLOSSARY

Copyright

Title

El Mouatamid Ben Rochd

SIBAWAIHI’S 

TRANSFORMATIONAL

GRAMMAR

Books On Demand

THIS BOOK is a short glimpse on the huge encyclopaedic work on Arabic grammar, achieved by Persian Sibawaihi (apple smell). To put it in Mazini’s terms: Whoever wants to write about (Arabic) grammar after Sibawaihi, let him feel humble. This book further shows that the transformational grammatical operation suggested in Chomsky’s Syntactic Structures (1957) onward, is a fundamental principle of this masterpiece. It cuts across all levels of linguistic analysis, i.e. phonology, morphology, syntax and stylistics.     

THE AUTHOR is a scholar, who has contributed much to the field of linguistics, including his latest publication Traditions in Linguistics (Books-On-Demand). He has lectured extensively about Sibawaihi’s Grammar in different countries, notably Volgograd (Russia), Wien, Berlin, Frankfurt, Baden Baden (Germany) and Leiden (Holland).

Dr. El Mouatamid Ben Rochd

Contents

First a story!

1.    Introduction

1.1.    Chomsky’s TG

1.2.    Islamic culture

1.3.    The Status of Arabic

1.4.    Sibawaihi’s Life

1.5.    Sibawaihi’s Al-Kitab

1.6.    Basra and Kufa Schools

2.    Transformation

2.1.    Deletion Transformation

2.2.    Assimilation

2.3.    Re-syllabification

2.4.    Transformations

2.4.1.     FOCUS

2.4.2.    DELETION

2.4.3.    AGREEMENT

2.4.4.    CASE

2.5.    Movement  Transformation

3.    Morphology

3.1.    Verb Forms

4.    Phonetics & Phonology

5.    A Summary of Theoretical Background of Sibawaihi’s Al-Kitab (Volume I)

6.    Conclusion

7.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

8.       GLOSSARY   32

First a story!

My speciality is Chomsky’s syntax. I once met a bitter confrontation from some colleagues from the Arabic department, who are specializing in Arabic nahw. They criticised, even ‘insulted,’ Chomsky grammatical theory! Giving them the credit of the doubt, I asked: ‘What is the alternative!’ They boastfully answered ‘The Ocean!’ ‘What is the ocean?’ they answer kitab Sibawayh!’ I went to buy it and then spent much time reading it and finally debating it with them. They didn’t have much to say after that. I did learn much from this incident. I wish I could thank them! Now I know Chomsky’s theory and have crossed the ‘Ocean’!

Thanks Friends! [cf. John Dos Passos!]

Introduction

Chomsky’s TG

The title ‘Sibawaihi’s TG grammar’ may sound as an anachronism since it is well known that the notion ‘transformation’ was promoted by Noam Chomsky ever since he published his first book Syntactic Structures in 1957. Chomsky’s contribution was dubbed ‘major break’ (Robins), even ‘revolution’ (Smith & Wilson). Still the reader of Sibawaihi’s Al-Kitab finds that the notion ‘Transformation’ is present in the kitab and indeed cuts through the three levels of linguistic analyses viz. phonetics, morphology and syntax.

Islamic culture

Islamic culture was a mixture of Arabic, Greek, Persian, Moorish, Indian and even Chinese cultures! The Umayyad dynasty promoted medicine and astronomy, whereas the Abbasids focused on the Arabic language that had become the instrument and container of all sciences. Iraq in particular became the focal center of learning as Europe and the U.S.A. are nowadays! Sibawaihi came as the culmination of that enormous linguistic endeavor with