The Arabic Language

Further reading
The classic manual of comparative Semitic linguistics is Brockelmann (1908–13). 
The 
Handbuch der Orientalistik
in the volume dedicated to Semitic linguistics has 
sections on the Semitic language type (Spuler 1964b), the expansion of the Semitic 
languages (Spuler 1964c) and the history of Semitic linguistics (Fück 1964). These 
sections are useful as an historical introduction, but must be regarded as outdated. 
The most recent handbooks of the Semitic languages, including Arabic, are Hetzron 
(1997), Lipiński (1997), Kienast (2001) and Weninger (2011). A synthesis was 
published by Bergsträßer (1928) and Moscati (1964); see also Sáenz-Badillos’ (1993) 
introductory chapter to his history of the Hebrew language. More recent surveys 
from the perspective of Arabic linguistics are given by Voigt (2009) for the Semitic 
languages; by Belova (2009) for the South Semitic languages; by Hasselbach and 
Huehnergard (2008) for the North-west Semitic languages; and by Zaborski (2006a) 
for the Afro-Asiatic languages. A controversial, but highly stimulating, view on the 
relations between the Semitic languages and the value of the comparative paradigm 
is found in Garbini (1984). Along more or less the same lines, Edzard (1998) proposes 
a convergence model for the development of the Semitic languages. 
About the problems connected with the genealogical classification of the 
Semitic languages, see von Soden (1960), Hetzron (1974, 1976) and Diem (1980b). 
On the typology of the Semitic languages, see Ullendorff (1958). Analysis of 
individual problems connected with the comparison of the Semitic languages is in 
the following: root structure, Petráček (1982); internal (broken) plurals, Corriente 
(1971a), Ratcliffe (1998); declensional system, Rabin (1969).
For an introduction to Afro-Asiatic linguistics, see Diakonoff (1965). A survey 
of the state of the art in Afro-Asiatic linguistics is in Petráček (1984). Garbini 
(1974) deals with the position of Semitic within the Afro-Asiatic languages. An 
etymological dictionary of Afro-Asiatic common roots was produced by Orel and 
Stolbova (1994).
Because of the highly hypothetical status of recent research in proto-Nostratic, 
it is difficult to cite any relevant literature; Bomhard (1984) has introductory 
chapters on the aims and scope of proto-Nostratic comparisons.
With regard to the position of Arabic within the group of the Semitic languages, 
see Diem (1980b), Petráček (1981), Zaborski (1991a), Voigt (2009), Al-Mansour 
(2011). Of special interest are the discussions about the Central Semitic group in 
Hetzron (1974, 1976) and Voigt (1987). Arguments against the special relation
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ship between Arabic and North-west Semitic are given by Huehnergard (1991); 
Knauf (1988) argues that Arabic is more related to Aramaic than to Canaanite. 
On nunation and mimation see Diem (1975). Discussion with the emphasis on 
the parallels between Arabic and North-west Semitic is in Garbini (1984: 97–112).
A classic account of the Arabic phonemic inventory in the light of comparative 
Semitic linguistics is found in Cantineau (1960); for the lateral realisation of /ḍ/ 
see Chapter 6, p. 87.

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