Grammarians and Grammatical Theory in the Medieval Arabic Tradition

by Ramzi Baalbaki

Baalbaki compiles 18 articles on the various methods of analysis adopted by medieval Arab grammarians and their attempts to justify and defend linguistic usage, primarily in view of their belief that a grammarian should unveil The Wisdom that characteristically lies at the root of any usage. Five of them focus on the Kitab of Sibawayhi (d. 180/796)

353 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Ramzi Munir Baalbaki is a professor of the Arabic language at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. During a career which has spanned over thirty years, Baalbaki has been recognized as a significant contributor to the field of Arabic grammar studies.

Baalbaki earned his Bachelor of Arts with distinction in 1973 and his Master of Arts in 1975 from the American University of Beirut and his Doctor of Philosophy in 1978 from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.

Baalbaki has been hosted as a visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge and University of Chicago as well as both a visiting scholar and scholar-in-residence at Georgetown University. His work has had a significant impact on Arabic linguistic studies in the Western world, and in 2010 he received the King Faisal International Prize for his extensive contributions to the field.

In 2013, the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies launched the Doha Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language with Baalbaki as the head of the project's academic council.