The Classical Arabic Origins of Contemporary Southern Iraqi Arabic in Light of Ibn Sidah’s Al-Mukhassas

Abstract

This study sheds light on the close connection between Classical Arabic and the colloquial varieties, emphasizing that Arabic dialects are not separate languages but rather part of the continuous historical development of Arabic. It also highlights the value of the Arabic lexicographical heritage in understanding our current linguistic reality.

The research affirms the necessity of referring to classical Arabic dictionaries to properly understand contemporary dialects, demonstrating that colloquial Arabic is not an “inferior” language, but a natural extension of Classical Arabic shaped by historical transformations. Ibn Sidah’s Al-Mukhassas (d. 458 AH) serves as a unique linguistic reference that reflects the richness of Arabic and its interaction with the spoken varieties across centuries. This work is of great importance for uncovering the classical origins of colloquial vocabulary, as it functions as a living record of linguistic changes and semantic and phonological developments.

This study traces the classical roots of selected contemporary colloquial words used in southern Iraq, based on the material presented by Ibn Sidah in Al-Mukhassas. It also analyzes the mechanisms that facilitated the transition from Classical Arabic to the colloquial forms—whether through phonological changes such as substitution or deletion, or through semantic shifts such as broadening or narrowing of meaning. The research further seeks to highlight the role of classical dictionaries in understanding the strong link between Classical and colloquial Arabic, refuting the widespread notion that the colloquial varieties are entirely separate from the standard language.

Positioned within the broader scope of academic studies aiming to connect linguistic heritage with modern research, this study reaffirms that the colloquial varieties are not “hybrid languages,” but natural continuations of Classical Arabic shaped by historical and social factors. Through a descriptive-analytical approach, the study reconstructs the relationship between the linguistic heritage preserved in Al-Mukhassas and the contemporary linguistic reality, opening new horizons for understanding the dynamism and evolution of the Arabic language.