HALIL IBN AHMAD AL-FARAHIDI: A PIONEER IN ARABIC LINGUISTICS
Keywords:
Halil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi, Arabic language, Kitab al-‘Ayn, Arabic dictionary, Arabic prosody, Diacritical marks, Arabic vowels, Arabic linguistics, Basra, LexicographyAbstract
This article provides a detailed overview of the life and contributions of Halil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi, a key figure in the history of the Arabic language. It covers his early life in Oman and Basra, his academic journey under the mentorship of notable scholars, and his major achievements. These include creating the first comprehensive Arabic dictionary, “Kitab al-‘Ayn”, systematizing Arabic prosody, and introducing diacritical marks.
References
1. Al-Farahidi, Khalil ibn Ahmad. Kitab al-‘Ayn. (Various editions and translations) – [For his contribution to lexicography]
2. Ibn Manzur. Lisan al-Arab. Cairo: Dar al-Maaref, 1981. – [Follow-up lexicographical work influenced by Al-Farahidi’s Kitab al-‘Ayn]
3. Haywood, John A., and Nahmad, H. M. A New Arabic Grammar of the Written Language. Lund Humphries Publishers, 2003. – [Background on Arabic grammar and prosody]
4. Carter, Michael G. Arabic Lexicography: Its History, and its Place in the General History of Lexicography. The British Library, 1989. – [For lexicography and dictionary compilation]
5. Versteegh, Kees. The Arabic Language. Edinburgh University Press, 2014. – [General history of the Arabic language, including early figures like Al-Farahidi]
6. Owens, Jonathan. A Linguistic History of Arabic. Oxford University Press, 2006. – [For historical context of Arabic linguistics]
7. Al-Zubaidi, Muhammad Murtada. Taj al-‘Arus. Beirut: Dar al-Hidaya, 1965. – [For contributions to lexicography following Al-Farahidi's methods]
8. Baalbaki, Ramzi. The Legacy of the Kitab: Sībawayhi's Analytical Methods within the Context of the Arabic Grammatical Theory. Brill, 2008. – [For context on the grammatical framework Al-Farahidi helped inspire]
