Nino Ejibadze, A Grammar of the Arabic Language, TSU Press, 2023, 508 pp.

Abstract

The present review examines Nino Ejibadze’s monograph – A Grammar of the Arabic Language published by Tbilisi State University Press in 2023. The introductory part of the review provides a concise overview of the Western tradition of the study of Arabic language, tracing the historical development of the grammars of Arabic, their linguistic foundations, and the stage of linguistics at which they were compiled. As well as discussing which variety of Arabic these grammar books aimed to describe – Classical or colloquial/dialects. Observation of previous works reveals that they have mainly focused either on Classical Arabic or on specific spoken varieties/dialects. Consequently, earlier grammars did not and, given the stage of linguistic theory at the time, could not take into account the variability of the Arabic language, the Arabic linguistic continuum, or the phenomenon of diglossia. Up to this point, there has been no comprehensive theoretical grammar that systematically considers the variable nature of Arabic, the way in which its different varieties function in Arabic speech, and how each of them has its own domain and context of use. In this regard, Ejibadze’s work represents a notable and original contribution to the field of Arabic studies. The book provides a detailed and diachronic analysis of key aspects of Arabic phonetics, morphology, and syntax, taking into consideration a range of extralinguistic factors and specific sociolinguistic nuances arising from Arabic diglossia. The main characteristics of the book can be summarized as follows: a) Treating Arabic as one/unified language, encompassing the full spectrum of its variability ¬– Classical Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, and the dialects; b) Engaging with both the Arabic and Western scholarly traditions of studying the Arabic language; c) Emphasizing the functional dimension of the language alongside its structural aspects; d) Approaching linguistic phenomena from a diachronic perspective; e) Analyzing underlying causes of the linguistic phenomena alongside its description. The work represents a theoretical grammar of Arabic which simultaneously exhibits features of other types of grammar primarily descriptive, and occasionally prescriptive. The book also incorporates elements of explanatory grammar, clearly elucidating the internal logic of the language and the way how it functions. In doing so, it integrates the functional dimension into the structural analysis – a crucial aspect for comprehensive understanding of the language.