A grammar of the Arabic language 9780429868740, 042986874X

Table of contents :
1. Orthography. 2. Etymology. 3. Syntax. 4. The Preposition : Nouns in Construction.

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A Grammar of the Arabic Language

R. Sterling

Routledge
Revivals

A Grammar of the Arabic Language R. Sterling

Routledge Revivals

A Grammar of the Arabic Language

A Grammar of the Arabic Language

R. Sterling

First published in 1904 by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. Ltd This edition first published in 2018 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 1904 Taylor & Francis All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Publisher’s Note The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original copies may be apparent. Disclaimer The publisher has made every effort to trace copyright holders and welcomes correspondence from those they have been unable to contact. A Library of Congress record exists under ISBN: 38034208 ISBN 13: 978-1-138-60340-0 (hbk) ISBN 13: 978-1-138-60342-4 (pbk) ISBN 13: 978-0-429-46212-2 (ebk)

A GRAMMAR OF THE

ARABIC LANGUAGE

A GRAMMAR OF THE

ARABIC LANGUAG E

BY

The Rev. R. STERLING M.A., M. B., B.S., Missionary of the Church Missionary Society, Gaza, Palestine.

LONDON KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, '!'HUBNER & Co. Dryden House, Gerrard St. W.

HJ04

LIMITED

To the Reverend D. S. M ARGououTH, D. Litt., Lauclian Professor of Ambic in the University of Oxford, The Author respectfully dedicates this work.

PREFACE. 'rhe chief feature of this work is its suitability to the needs of the student whether at home or in the East under native teachers. The native methods of treatment have been largely followed in the belief that they conduce to a more thorough knowlAdge and appreciation of the genius of the language. The aim has been to produce a practical work: to emphasize the more important parts of the Grammar and to introduce only such matter as is essential to the acquirement of a practical knowledge of the language. Another feature of the work is the extensive Glossaries. These not only illustrate the peculiar structural character of the language but are of a nature to facilitate the progress of the student. They comprise I Trilil eral Verbs (showing the vowel of the middle radical in both preterite and aorist) with their Nouns of Action, II Derived Verbs in common use, III Nouns of Action of Triliteral Verbs, IV 'rabies of (a) Adjectives, (b) Nouns of Excess, (c) Nouns of Instrument, (d) Irregular Pluntls. These Verbs etc. are all arranged on their respec-

tive measures m alphabetical order, with their meanings in English. The native grammars have been freely consulted, especially the excellent little work

....

...c '

0

,...

~Ua.~l J....a.,;

l have to acknowledge my great indebtedness to Muallim Elias Halaby and Muallim Nasri Farr of Gaza for their co-operation and valuable assistance. My best thanks are also due to Professor D. S. MARGououm for suggestions and for the revision of the greater portion of the proofs. Gosforth Newcastle-upon-Tyne January 1904.

CONTENTS PART I ORTHOGRAPHY Page

1

The Alphabet The Vowels . Other Orthographical Signs. The Pause. . . . . The Accent . . . . Anomalies in Writing

6

7 10 11 11

ETYMOLOGY Parts of Speech . . Servile Letters . . Measures of Words The Verb. . . . The Annexed Pronouns . Simple Form of the 'l'riliteral . The Six Measures of the 'l'riliteral Observations on the Derived l!'orms. Rules for the Formation of the Verb . The Quadriliteral Verb . . . Table of Derived l!'orms . . . Changes of the Weak Letters . Assimilation . . . . . . . Forms of the Verb in respect to its Root Letter Changes peculiar to each Form 'l'he Corroborative 0

;j

The 0 _;3 of Precaution Tables of Triliteral Verbs Meanings of the Derived l!'orms . The Derivative Nouns The Primitive Noun . The Gender of Nouns Feminine Nouns Number. . . . . .

13 13 14

16 19 20 21 22 23 26 27

28 30 32 33 38 40

41 47 61 85 85

86 91

X

CONTENTS Page

91 92 92

'l'hc Dual . The Plural 'L'he Regular Masculine Plural The Regular Feminine Plural. The Irregular or broken Plural 'l'he Noun of Relation The Diminutive. The Numerals 'l'he Pronouns . The Article . . Collective Nouns Classification of Nouns

94 96 98

102 107 112

119 122

123

PART II SYN'l'AX Declension. Indeclension . Regents Cases Division of the Signs of Declension. Implied Signs of Declension . 'l'he N nnation . States of the Noun in Declension and Indeclension . Imperfectly Declined Nouns Indeclinable N onus Definite Nouns . The Sentence. The Nominative Case. The Vet·bal Sentence . The Subject of a Passive Verb The Nominal Sentence Words which aJfect the Subject and Predicate . 'l'he Accusative Case The Genitive Case .

125 125 126 127 128 131

132 133 134 137 1:~8

140 140 141 144 146 158 180 197

THE PREPOSITION NOUNS IN CONS'l'RUCTION 'l'he Appositives. Moods of the Verbs The Subjunctive Mood. Accusative Particle~ The Conditional 11nd Imperative Moods. Apocopative Particles . The Conditiottal 1'.Ul'tl"cles Tenses of the Verb

I

"I

I.A

'

OJ.

')' 0j

.> ' _)}' '

I .

o.J

I.A_,. '

w·

214 226 226

22\J

233

CONTEN'l'S

XI Page

238

The Negative Particles . The Particles U' , The Letter

CJ-

uyw ,

(J-

~

0~

Verbs of Wonder Verbs ~f Praise and Blame. Derived Nouns which govern as Verbs Appendix . Tables of Derived .lo

G;

1>

~~~.

"' " " The Nunation in the Accusative Case requires an Aleph

except when the noun ends in g or

"I

gL;~.

OTHER ORTHOGRAPHICAL SIGNS. ( 1)

!.

-t~.

~~~f

'' . l.:),c

(2) ::(3)

w

(4) ..

F' gi~· 0

.... ..0

-

(5)

' .... u

o...c '

~ ~"'' g~, (1)

The symbol

~

' ' ~ '6 1.:),-(..:JI is placed over an unvowelled

letter as ~ or ~' the The place

r ~

~~!Jf.

0

1.:)

or ; is vowelled

or " is called silent ~L..:, .

iii j-~ .

It is not usual to

over a letter of prolongation. (2) ::-

'

Hemzeh i followed by Aleph The sign is called

J IN

o~

g~Jf

It is also used in

'

(I

G:i

o'JS.

g~JI.

ti is written Tas~~

~;If.

. '

0 ....

"""

-..-

(I

-0:6.

g~,~.:JI :i>~~l

to indicate that an

Aleph of prolongation is followed by a Hemzeh as ;;,~:c.

8

The symbol

~

signifies that the letter over which it

is placed is doubled in pronunciation. The first letter is silent, and the second has the vowel upon the

~. '.,..a

o"'fS.

(4) !iRI (Compression). (I

...0

, _ CJ

0

....

..0

It is of two kinds ~_;JI !i~ and ~.faJi..ll

(5) ~~~

Hj.i

!ire. '

.... (,I ...

(Conjunction).

The s1gn ::: is placed over the initial

I

when not

directly beginning a sentence, to indicate that the Aleph is elided, and the preceding vowel joined to the following consonant.

Tltis Elision occurs in : _..01"10

I. The Article, as

'

:6

~~JI ~I •

"The brother of the king,. •

•

II. In the Imperative of the Tr1hteral Verb

e.r'·

Jj15 0

g..O

0

"1S

III. rrhe Preterite (both voices), Imperative, and the Nouns of Action of the Derived Forms, from the sixth onwards. IV. In the Nouns:

Lill.,

Son

Man

.. '"I

Name

Woman

!il?! ,....

Two

Oath Anus

~

!>

roe

1"

~'

~I!>

Son Daughter Two

-:-"1

~!>

"I

l"""'r>

~~! &.Gt

'!>

0

~

WI!>

9

Its vowel at t!te beginning of a sentence is :; except

in

I

:1