The Role of Derivational Processes in Developing an Etymological Lexicon of the Arabic Language

Abstract

This study aims to examine the phenomenon of derivation, analyzing its concept, significance, and contribution to lexicography, as well as the methods that support it. It also explores linguistic roots and their role in creating a modern Arabic derivational dictionary, considered one of the most important, tracing the language’s evolution throughout history.

The methodology combines description, analysis, and comparison to identify internal relationships among the linguistic sounds forming roots and to assess the meaning of derived words relative to the original root.

The findings show that the dictionary’s construction starts with single-consonant roots, progressing to binary and then ternary roots through minor and major derivation, using sounds and their semantic properties to transfer the meaning of the original root to its derivatives.