The Modern Arabic Literary Language is a thoughtful examination of the changes that the Arabic language has undergone in its transition from its roots in classical Arabic to a language able to meet the demands of twentieth-century life.

In this volume a respected and masterful scholar of the Arabic language Jaroslav Stetkevych notes the ways that new words have been incorporated into the language, ranging from deriving new terms from existing roots (for example, the word for "newspaper" derives from the word meaning "sheet to write on") to downright assimilation of foreign words. Also noting the changes in grammar and semantics, Stetkevych illustrates how literary Arabic has become a more flexible language. Originally published in 1970, this volume is a clear assessment of lexical and stylistic developments in Modern Literary Arabic.

This classic book is an important resource for scholars and advanced students of Arabic language and linguistics who wish to study the complexities of language change and lexical expansion.

Foreword to the Georgetown Classics EditionRoger Allen

ForewordSir Hamilton Gibb

IntroductionWilliam R. Polk

Preface

1. The Analogical Method of Derivation

2. The Formation of Compound Words

3. The Assimilation of Foreign Words

4. Semantic Developments

5. Attempts at a Simplification of the Grammar

6. Foreign Modes of Expression

Definitions and Projections

Bibliography

Index

One of the 'classic' twentieth-century studies of modern Arabic, penned by one of its greatest scholars.