THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARABIC LINGUISTICS DURING THE ABBASID ERA

Abstract

This article examines the “Golden Age” of Arabic linguistics under the Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258). It traces how Arabic evolved from a primarily religious and literary medium into a universal language of science. The study highlights the scholarly rivalry between the Basra and Kufa grammatical schools—especially their debates over qiyās (analogy) and samʿ (attested usage/auditory transmission)—and shows how these methodological differences contributed to the codification of linguistic norms. The article also analyzes the foundational role of Sibawayh’s Al-Kitāb and al-Khalīl ibn Aḥmad’s Kitāb al-ʿAyn in systematizing Arabic syntax, phonetics, and lexicography. Finally, it evaluates the Translation Movement at the House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Ḥikma) and explains how the integration of Greek, Persian, and Indian learning enriched Arabic vocabulary and helped establish a broad scientific terminology.