AL-Lisaniyyat

Origins and Sources of Phonetic Terms in Al-Khalil’s Work through the Introduction of the Kitāb al-ʿAyn

Rahma Kezouli — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study delves into the genesis of phonetic terminology among Arab scholars, commencing with the burgeoning of the Arabic lexicon industry. A seminal figure in this domain, Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi, catalysed this evolution with his seminal work, " Kitāb al-ʿAyn" This research illuminates the myriad factors fostering this advancement, including the linguistic richness of Arabic, the heterogeneity of its dialects, and the foundational contributions of the Holy Quran and Arabic poetry.

From this fertile intellectual terrain emerged the discipline of phonology, as evidenced by the phonetic discourses in the introduction of "Kitāb al-ʿAyn" which broached previously unexplored phonetic issues. The focal point of this inquiry, "The Origins and Sources of Phonetic Terms in Al-Khalil's Introduction to the Kitāb al-ʿAyn" seeks to unearth the origins of Al-Khalil's phonetic lexicon, scrutinizing these terms through both linguistic and scientific lenses.

Vowel Shortening in Wahrāni Spoken Arabic

Amel Beldjenna — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The study investigates the phonological process of vowel shortening in Wahrāni Spoken Arabic (WSA): an Algerian Arabic dialect spoken in the north-western region of Algeria. The researcher uses recordings and field notes of spontaneous speech of fifty normal (non-impaired) native male and female Wahrāni adult speakers in a natural context as data for the study.

The study shows that vowel shortening (VS) in WSA occurs in both closed and open syllables. In the case of closed syllables, vowels
shorten to avoid trimoraic syllables. In open syllable, long vowels shorten due to deletion of coda consonants rendering CVVC syllables open. CVV syllables are not allowed in WSA and so the vowel is shortened leading to mora loss.

Beyond lexemes and morphemes: what about ‘hhh’ ?

Chédya Mansouri — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study examines the linguistic status of the numeric sequence "hhh" in Tunisian online interactions, highlighting its mismatch with traditional linguistic categories (lexeme, morpheme) and its pragmatic functions. Based on a qualitative analysis of a corpus collected from Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, we show that "hhh" operates as a hybrid techno-discursive marker, blending textual, emotional, and cultural codes. The analysis of its variations — in length, typography (Latin/Arabic), and multimodality (in combination with emojis) — reveals its role as a techno-discursive tool for modulating affect and reinforcing community bonds.

This work sheds light on emerging language practices in bilingual Arabic-French contexts and advocates for an expanded notion of the discourse marker in the digital age.

Language Acquisition in Children through the Writings of Abderrahmane Hadj-Salah

Mohammed Arabi Adjed — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This article explores the process of language acquisition in Arabic-speaking children through the lens of Abderrahmane Hadj-Salah’s writings, particularly those rooted in Neo-Khalilian theory. It focuses on his vision of the acquisition process, anchored in key Arabic linguistic concepts. The study reveals that the theory’s proposed linguistic levels (MARᾹTIB) provide a foundation for understanding how typically developing children acquire language. Its value lies in detailing how speech elements are formulated through the concept of the Pattern (MIṮĀL) at each level, and the abstraction activities involved, in line with Piagetian thought. Early in development, children internalize linguistic structures from auditory input (masmūʽ) and generate Pattern (MIṮĀL-s) to express various linguistic levels. This generative capacity varies by child, depending on individual abstraction abilities. According to Hadj-Salah, language acquisition reflects maturation in the use of generative Patterns (MUṮŪL), progressing from Aṣl to its increments. The Pattern MIṮĀL thus serves as a conceptual bridge between Arabic linguistic theory and cognitive science.

Spelling errors children with intellectual disabilities integrated in fifth-grade of primary Schools

Ouerdia Arab — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study aims to analyze spelling errors in children with intellectual disabilities to identify common errors patterns and understand their nature within the educational process. To achieve this, a sample of guided spelling writings was analyzed based on a spelling test consisting of a list of words categorized according to the spelling phenomena encountered by students at this stage. The test was designed based on the content of the fifth-grade primary school textbook.

The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach and a case study method, in addition to using the Crawford & Howell test for statistical analysis to compare differences between the two groups. This test allows for the comparison of the mean score of an individual case with the mean score of a group of cases, helping to determine the extent of variation in spelling skills between children with intellectual disabilities and their typically developing peers.

The findings revealed significant differences in the nature of spelling errors between the two groups, reflecting the specific challenges faced by this category in acquiring spelling skills. This underscores the need to develop appropriate educational strategies to enhance their linguistic abilities

Lexical Collocation and its Manifestations in the Dictionary of Synonyms and Homonyms -A Descriptive Analytical Reading-

Meryem Mansouri — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Lexical collocation is a universal linguistic phenomenon found across all languages. This study investigates its occurrence in the Arabic language through an analysis of the Dictionary of Synonyms and Homonyms by Father Raphael Nakhla, a Jesuit scholar. The research defines lexical collocation, categorizes its various types, and analyzes examples from the dictionary to identify its manifestations and patterns. A descriptive methodology is employed to observe and classify the phenomenon, alongside analytical tools used to examine selected examples in detail.

The study concludes that lexical collocation is a salient feature of the Arabic lexicon, appearing in two primary forms: conventional collocations commonly used by the general public, and unconventional collocations predominantly found in the works of distinguished literati, particularly from a semantic perspective. Structurally, collocations are manifested in two main forms: nominal compounds and verbal compounds.

The geographical term between the school textbook and the unified dictionary: the geography textbook for the first year of middle school as a Model

Salima Ben Meddour — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Scientific terminology plays a vital and fundamental role in both teaching and learning processes, as understanding the content of any science or discipline cannot be achieved without a deep comprehension of its terms. Therefore, the terminology included in the school manual must be precise and clear.

From this perspective, the present study aims to examine the geography textbook for the first year of middle school, identifying and analyzing the terms it contains through statistical and analytical methods. In parallel, we will also examine the Unified Dictionary of Geographical Terms and the foundations upon which it was compiled and constructed. The study seeks to answer the following research questions:

To what extent do textbook authors utilize the terminology found in the unified dictionaries intended for general education?
Are the geographical terms used in the textbook appropriate for the students' level, cognitive abilities, and prior knowledge?
What methods are employed to clarify these terms for learners and to remove ambiguity?

Approach of Grammatical Justification in Al-Khalil Ibn Ahmad Al-Farahidi "Semantic Explanation as a Model"

Karima Mebdoua — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Arabs adopted grammatical justification from the time of Al-Khalil (100H – 170H), and all grammatical schools focused on identifying the underlying causes (ʿilla) governing the Arabic language. Among these scholars, Al-Khalil Ibn Ahmad Al-Farahidi played a central role, and his disciple Sibawayh faithfully transmitted what he had learned from him. Al-Khalil was distinguished by his deep mastery of the concept of justification, his extensive knowledge, and his interest in exploring its various forms. For him, the issue was not merely about listening to linguistic examples and testimonies but about conducting a systematic investigation that enabled him to rigorously establish grammatical and morphological rules, as evidenced by the work of his disciple Sibawayh.

Al-Khalil thus paved the way for identifying and extracting grammatical justifications, relying on his exceptional genius, his understanding of the purposes of Arabic speech, his mastery of linguistic styles, and his knowledge of Arabic aesthetics—what was considered elegant or displeasing in speech. His disciple’s work attests to the breadth and richness of his explanations, granting him a special status in establishing the foundations of grammatical justification in Arabic. Through this study, we examine his methodology in linguistic justification, focusing on semantic explanation as a model of study in Al-Khalil’s work and exploring its key characteristics that influenced the structuring of Arabic grammar.

Quantum physical interpretation of the function " ḥurūf al-maānī and its meanings" - Towards New Research Horizons in the Interpretation of Arabic Linguistic Phenomena-

Mohamed Nadjib Marni Sandid , Miloud Zalagh — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This academic study places the Arab linguist within a set of interpretive, quantitative linguistic inquiries into certain classical grammatical issues, particularly concerning the function, usage, and meanings of "particles of meaning" (ḥurūf al-maʿānī).

It seeks to address aspects of the traditional grammatical discourse through an interdisciplinary linguistic approach that extends into the realm of exact sciences—most notably, physics—culminating in the application of quantum physics in a flexible and applied interdisciplinary framework. This approach has enabled the researcher to uncover promising findings and to envision fruitful prospects in the field of Arabic linguistic studies, forming a natural extension of the classical linguistic tradition laid out by Ibn Jinnī in his treatment of the Arabic linguistic matter.

Aspects of Linguistic Weakness: Origins, Causes, and Solutions

Mustapha Ibrahim Shuaibu — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study, entitled “Aspects of Linguistic Weakness: Origins, Causes, and Solutions”, addresses a contemporary issue that is particularly concerned with cognitive linguistic matters, and more broadly with applied and psycholinguistics. Linguistic weakness has received significant attention from researchers and scholars, as it is a linguistic, social, psychological, and applied phenomenon simultaneously. It presents increasing complexity and severity in the fields of education and psycholinguistics and is considered one of the applied linguistic issues that require thorough investigation, the provision of alternatives, and evaluation mechanisms to protect language from error, extinction, or death.

This topic opens the door to cultural interaction between Western and Arab cultures, giving rise to interdisciplinary studies, as observed in cognitive and perceptual linguistic research. The aim of this study is to explore the manifestations of linguistic weakness in terms of its origins, identify its causes, and track possible solutions. It also seeks to answer the following questions: What is meant by linguistic weakness, and how is it manifested? What are its main causes? What are the most significant indicators of linguistic weakness, and what are the most effective solutions to address it?

The researcher adopts the critical discourse analysis approach to trace the phenomenon, explore its historical development, analyze the underlying causes of its spread, and highlight key manifestations that should draw the attention of applied linguists—both Arab and Western—in order to propose suitable solutions and alternatives. This would enable modern Arabic linguistics to keep pace with the current era—characterized by artificial intelligence and the digital world.

Media Discourse from the Perspective of Media Linguistics

Mohammed Hathout — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study illuminates media discourse, which has emerged in contemporary times as a key focus within media linguistics, a subfield of applied linguistics. Such discourse is arguably among the most significant due to its communicative nature, functional role, and its influence in shaping both target audiences and public opinion.

The extensive reach, accessibility, and ease of digital media, along with its capacity to transcend spatial and geographic boundaries, the diversity of its communicative forms, and the active involvement of individuals in producing this discourse, have all driven scholars to examine its distinct characteristics and nature, setting it apart from other societal discourses.

Linguistics, employing its various branches and methodological tools, offers multiple analytical approaches to media discourse, including structural, semiotic, and argumentative perspectives.

A primary objective in examining media discourse from a linguistic standpoint is to elucidate its nature and structural features, alongside the communicative context in which it operates, while also uncovering the factors underpinning its strength, argumentative force, and persuasive power.

The Principle of Coherence and its Impact on Text Readability

Salah Eddine Mebarek Haddad — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study aims to emphasize that the readability of texts -their ease of comprehension- is fundamentally linked to the principle of coherence, which itself depends on the text’s dialectical relationship with the reader. Indeed, "there is no inherently coherent or inherently incoherent text independent of the reader."

The study of coherence revolves around two fundamental components of the text: the concepts it conveys and the relationships that connect them, along with the cohesive links that bind them together. As noted, "concepts and relationships together form the semantic foundation of the text."

This semantic foundation is not a pre-established entity; rather, it is constructed by the reader through the act of understanding, which involves the interaction between the reader’s prior knowledge and the information presented in the text. As stated, "the text is read by the reader... and the reader is equal to the text in terms of productive capacity and cognitive requirements."

This implies that a certain degree of compatibility and coherence must exist between the concepts and themes presented -whether explicitly or implicitly- and the reader’s prior knowledge.