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http://www.archive.org/details/elementaryarabic01thoruoft
THORNTON'S ARABIC SERIES,
VOLUME I.
ELEMENTARY ARABIC
A GRAMMAR
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
C. F. CLAY, Manager
LONDON : Fetter Lane, E.C. 4.
NEW YORK : G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
BOMBAY, CALCUTTA, MADRAS : MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd.
TORONTO : J. M. DENT AND SONS, Ltd.
TOKYO: THE MARUZEN-KABUSHIKI-KAISHA
All rights reserved
ELEMENTARY ARABIC
A GRAMMAR
FREDERIC DU PRE THORNTON
being an abridgement of
WRIGHT'S ARABIC GRAMMAR
to which it will serve as a table of contents
EDITED BY
REYNOLD A. NICHOLSON, M.A.
Lecturer in Persian in the University of Cambridge, and some time
Fellow of Trinity College
Cambridge : ^\
At the University Press .A/
First Edition 1905
Reprinted 1919
nm«o t« •«*** ««mtt*
PREFACE.
FREDERIC DU PRE THORNTON was born in 1841 at
Wendover in Buckinghamshire, where his father, the
Rev. Spencer Thornton, was Vicar, and received his education
at Brighton College. He commenced the study of Arabic in
1880, when he first visited Egypt and Palestine, following
the method which he recommends in his First Reading-Book,
namely, "to begin by reading aloud, from a book fully
pointed, with a Moslem who is accustomed to recite the
Quran (Coran) in public prayer." From 1880 to 1892 he
was almost continually in the East. As Mrs Thornton, who
accompanied her husband on all his journeys, writes tome: —
" He was very quick at languages and thought much of
correct pronunciation, so that during several visits to Egypt
he had one of the students from the University Mosque al
Azhar, Cairo, to read Arabic with him. His whole thoughts
and time were given up to his projected Series, and especially
to the Arabic Grammar, as he found so many in Egypt, Army
officers and missionaries, who did not cafe to go to the expense
or labour of learning the larger and more difficult Grammars.
We visited twice the Jebel Hauran, the ancient Bashan of
the Bible, and found it a most interesting country to travel
vi PREFACE.
in, and the Druse people very hospitable, especially to the
English. My husband's idea in visiting India was to find
oi*t about the Moslems there, and whether they spoke Arabic
much amongst themselves, which does not seem to be the
case. It is only used there as the Sacred Language." Mr
Thornton was acquainted with most of the leading Arabists
in this country — Professor William Wright, a portion of
whose Arabic Reading-Book (Williams and Norgate, 1870)
he read with the author; Professor W. Robertson Smith,
Professor Ion Keith Falconer, Sir Charles Lyall, Professor
D. S. Margoliouth, and others. My friendship with him
be^an, I think, in 1895 or a little afterwards, and we
corresponded pretty regularly until his death, which took
place in January 1903, besides meeting now and then to talk
over the work on which he was engaged. I have pleasant
recollections of the hospitality shown to me by Mr and
Mrs Thornton on several occasions when I stayed with them
at Westgate-on-Sea, as well as of the enthusiasm with which
Mr Thornton would discourse on his favourite topics. Few
can have known Wright's Grammar so perfectly as he did,
and though the present volume bears witness to his minute
accuracy and to the systematic thoroughness with which he
entered into the smallest details of exposition, only those
whom he consulted or who helped him in his work can have
any conception how much thought and labour it cost him to
produce. He was trying to improve it almost to the last
day of his life.
This volume, however, does not stand by itself. It was
Mr Thornton's intention to compile and publish an Arabic
Series, based on the Coran, which should enable the learner
to get a good working knowledge of the language without
the necessity of constantly referring to other books. Of this
PREFACE. YLj
to Wright's masterly, but to beginners somewhat perplexing,
book*; to which enquiry he made reply, 'There are two
difficulties : to know what to put in, and to know what to
leave out.' Ten years later I determined to make the
attempt, 'putting in' all required by the grammatical
analysis (then as now in manuscript) of my First Reading-
Book and, so far as could be, ' leaving out ' everything else ;
for I supposed that a rule would only be needed, if the
Reading-Book's Arabic text afford an example in illustration ;
and I hoped by retaining Wright's section numbers that
my abridgement might become a table of contents to his
Grammar. I had supplied lists of omissions to Professors
W. R. Smith and de Goeje with a view to their being
remedied in the forthcoming 3rd edition ; and such omis-
sions as I subsequently discovered have been placed in
this book under the heading of ' Note,' so that my trivial
additions stand markedly apart from (my abridgement of)
the scholarly text."
Mr Thornton then goes on to speak of his Elementary
Arabic : First Beading- Book, to which reference has been
made above, calling attention to the fact that all its words
appear singly in Parts I and II of the Grammar, and all
recur later in phrases to illustrate syntax. As he observes,
"it may be said to supply almost without exception my
Grammar's examples." The remainder of his Conclusion I
will quote entire.
* A Grammar of the Arabic Language translated from the German of
Caspari and edited with numerous additions and corrections by W. Wright,
LL.D., late Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge. Third
edition revised by W. Robertson Smith, late Professor of Arabic in the
University of Cambridge, and M. J. de Goeje, Professor of Arabio in the
University of Leyden. Cambridge : at tho University Press, 1896.
X PREFACE.
" From a biographical sketch of M. S. de Sacy written
in October 1895 by Professor Hartwig Derenbourg, Titulaire
de la chaire de Silvestre de Sacy a l'lilcole spe'ciale des
langues orientales vivantes, I borrow the following:
La grammaire arabe de Caspari, le livre de classe qui, depuis
1848, n'a pas cesse d'etre mis entre les mains des eleves dans
des redactions latine (1848), alleinande (1859, 1866, 1876, et
1887), anglaise (1862 et 1874) et francaise (1880), tient le
milieu entre les tendances des deux rivaux. "Elle s'appuie,
dit M. Fleischer, sur Sacy et Ewald, et cherche seulement, avec
quelques rectifications et additions que j'ai fournies, a reunir les
qualites de l'un et de l'autre.... La grammaire de l'ancien arabe
ne progressera vraiment d'une maniere sensible que le jour ou,
d'un c6te, on comparera et appreciera avec une balance de pre-
cision les philologues orientaux repartis dans les diverses ecoles,
et ou, d'autre part, Ton soumettra les materiaux accumules dans
leurs plus excellents traites a une enquete approfondie dirigee
dans le sens de notre linguistique."
Dans cette derniere direction, c'est a peine si nous avons
depasse la premiere etape, franchie d'un seul bond par le jeune
Ewald, alors presque a ses debuts. L' edition anglaise de Caspari,
par M. William Wright, ouvre seule quelques echappees sur
l'horizon encore incertain de la philologie semitique conrparee.
La Grammaire de la langue arabe qui, dans ses diverses trans-
formations, continue a porter le nom de Caspari, se recommande
et a reussi surtout a cause de son ordonnance harmonieuse : point
de derogations au plan general, chaque regie a sa place, pas de
redites, pas de doubles emplois, une sobriete dans les tours de
phrase n'excluant pas la clarte, une clarte obtenue sans redondances
oiseuses et sans vaines amplifications. C'est un peu terre a terre, et
cela manque d'essor ; mais si l'imagination n'y trouve pas son
compte, la raison est pleinement satisfaite par ce Lhomond de la
langue arabe.
PREFACE. / VU
projected Series he left two volumes already printed and in
private circulation, viz. the present abridgement of Wright's
Grammar and a First Reading-Book consisting of certain
extracts from the Coran together with a Grammatical
Analysis and Glossary. Subsequently he determined to
enlarge the latter volume by adding to it some fifty pages
of Wright's Arabic Reading-Booh, which had nearly run out
of print ; and at his request I compiled a Glossary for this
additional matter. It was passing through the press when
its progress was interrupted by Mr Thornton's untimely
death.
Fortunately, the scheme which he had so deeply at
heart is to be earned out in its entirety, as far as another
hand may be capable of executing his design ; and since
Mrs Thornton has entrusted me with the task of editing and
completing the Series, I will briefly indicate the plan of the
whole before proceeding to speak of the first volume in
particular.
Thornton's Arabic Series will be published by the Cam-
bridge University Press and will consist of four (or possibly
five) volumes entitled as follows.
I. Elementary Arabic : a Grammar.
II. Elementary Arabic: First Reading-Book. This will
contain selected passages from the Coran, viz. Ch. I, Ch. II
256, Ch. vii 52 to 62 and 101 to 170 inclusive, also
Ch. lxiv ; the text of a portion of Wright's Arabic
Reading-Book, namely, pp. 13 to 64, beginning with " Stories
of Arab Warriors " and ending with u The Escape of 'Abd al
Rahman the Umaivad from Syria into Spain"; a Grammatical
Analysis of the above-mentioned Coranic texts; and finally
a full Glossary.
a6
Vlll
PREFACE.
III. Elementary Arabic: Second Reading-Book, contain-
ing passages from unpublished MSS. (or, at least, such as
have not been previously edited in Europe).
IV Elementary Arabic: Third Reading-Book, which will
probably comprise the whole of Wright's Arabic Reading-
Book from p. 64 to the end.
The plan thus sketched departs from Mr Thornton's only
in one comparatively trivial point. Instead of providing each
volume with its own glossary, he contemplated a single
Dictionary giving all the Arabic words contained in the three
Reading-Books. There is indeed much to be said for this
arrangement, by which a good deal of repetition would be
avoided, but practical considerations seem to require that
the First Reading- Book at any rate should be self-sufficing.
With regard to the Second and Third Reading-Books the
case is different, and I am inclined to think that they should
not have separate glossaries. In this event a Dictionary
such as Mr Thornton contemplated will form the fifth volume
of the Series. Any suggestions as to the course which should
be followed in this matter and also as to the scope of the
Second Reading- Book, that is to say, what principle of
selection would be most advantageous, will be gratefully
received.
I now come to Elementary Arabic: a Grammar.
Concerning its origin I may quote Mr Thornton's own
words appended by way of conclusion to the edition which
was printed in 1900 by Messrs Stephen Austin of Hertford
for private circulation.
" In the year 1885 I consulted Professor W. Robertson
Smith about the possibility of there being written an elemen-
tary Grammar of Arabic capable of serving as introduction
PREFACE. XI
"Charles Francois Lhomond died in 1704 at the age of 67,
having been maltreated by Parisian revolutionists, perhaps
because of his writing in defence of Catholic faith as under-
stood by him. His chief claim to posthumous fame lies in
his devotion to the work of compiling elementary books and it
is in this respect that his name may be conferred on those who
do likewise. My readers will thank me for putting before them
Professor Derenbourg's eloquent appreciation of the Grammar
still called by Caspari's name, to the praise of which I heartily
subscribe. Wright has, however, carried matters further, for
the glimpses of Semitic philology mentioned above, together
with much more, have been published by Robertson Smith
in Wright's Comparative Grammar; and since 1895 Professor
de Goeje has bestowed upon the world of Semitic letters
a boon, for which we cannot be too thankful, by devoting his
valuable time and known scholarship to the work of enabling
Cambridge University Press to issue a 3rd Edition of Wright's
.Arabic Grammar: it is this which I have abridged.
" Much thanks are due from me to kind helpers more
numerous than can be mentioned, but I must especially
single out the Rev. G. W. Thatcher of Mansfield College,
Oxford, without whose efficient assistance I might well have
found it impossible to thread the mazes of Arabic syntax."
In preparing this new edition of Mr Thornton's Grammar
I have incorporated some additions and corrections which
I found in his interleaved copy of the last edition, and have
added an abstract of §§ 191 to 230 in Wright's Grammar,
which treat of Prosody. Mr Thornton omitted these sections
on the ground that they were not needed for his Elementary
Arabic: First Reading-Book, but he would undoubtedly have
supplied the deficiency in view of the enlarged issue of that
book, which has been described above and which will shortly
Xll PREFACE.
be published as the second volume of this Series. I have
also removed some references in the Grammar to the original
edition of the First Reading-Book, giving the corresponding
references to the Coran instead. In other respects I have
made as few alterations as possible, since I know that
Mr Thornton had pondered every word of his work over and
over again and that he took infinite pains to secure the
clearest and most concise expression.
It must be borne in mind that the author of this work
intended it to be used side by side with his First Reading-
Book, for which it is specially adapted and from which nearly
all its examples are drawn. He regarded the one book as
the complement of the other and even, I think, disliked the
idea of their being sold separately. I hope, therefore, to
bring out the enlarged First Reading-Book with as little
delay as my other engagements permit, and I would strongly
recommend all students of the Grammar to acquire the
companion volume. At the same time it would, in my.
opinion, have been a mistake to limit the use of the Grammar
to purchasers of the Reading-Book. The Coran, whence
most of its examples are derived, is accessible to everyone,
and the Grammar itself has the peculiar merit of serving as
an introduction to Wright's masterly work. The reader will
note that Wright's second volume begins at § 1, which
corresponds with § 401 in Mr Thornton's abridgement.
It only remains to thank Mrs Thornton and Sir Charles
Lyall, whom I consulted before writing this Preface, for the
kind help which they have given me.
REYNOLD A. NICHOLSON.
Cambridge,
July, 1905.
CONTENTS.
PART I. ORTHOGRAPHY AND ORTHOEPY.
SECTION
The consonants ......... 1
The vowels and diphthongs ..*..... 4
Other orthographic signs
Sukun rest .* 9
Tashdid strengthening ...... 11
Hamzah compression 15
Waclah union 18
Maddan extension 22
The syllable 24
The accent 28
The numerals 32
PART II. ETYMOLOGY OR THE PARTS OF SPEECH.
Tri literal verbs
88
The first or ground form .
36
The second form
40
The third form .
43
The fourth form
45
The fifth form .
47
The sixth form .
50
The seventh form
52
The eighth form
55'
The tenth form
61
XIV
CONTENTS.
SECTION
Quadriliteral verba <;;
The voices 73
The states (tenses) of the verb 77
The moods 79
The numbers, persons and genders 81
Strong verbs 83
Nominative personal pronouns 89
States and moods (active) 90
The passive voice 100
The derived forms ....... 102
Doubled verbs 120
Weak verbs 126
Hamzated 130
Containing ^ or \j* 141
Doubly weak . . . . . . . . 171
^-.Jj^aj and t^J 182
Accusative pronominal suffixes 185
The noun, substantive and adjective
Nomina verbi, abstract and concrete
Time and place
Instrument ....
Agentis et patientis (ground form)
Other adjectives Do.
The elative ....
Agentis et patientis (derived forms)
Adjectives from doubled and weak verbs
Individuality
The relative adjective
The gender of nouns
The numbers of nouns .
Collectives ....
Declension of triptotes and diptotes
Dependent pronominal suffixes
The numbers, cardinal and ordinal
190
195
221
228
229
232
234
236
237
246
249
289
298
306
308
317
318
CONTENTS. xv
SECTION
Demonstrative pronouns 340
The article Jt 345
Conjunctive and interrogative pronouns .... 346
Indefinite pronouns 353*
The particles 354
Prepositions , 355
Adverbs 360
Conjunctions 365
Interjections 368
Paradigms of the verbs 369
PART III. SYNTAX.
The Perfect State 401
The Pluperfect 403
After 131, ^J etc 405
The Imperfect State
Indicative 408
Subjunctive 411
Jussive 412
Energetic 414
The Moods
Subjunctive 415
Indicative 416
Jussive 417
Energetic 41 !>
Imperative 420
Government by the verb 42]
The objective complement 423
The absolute object 426
The use of J 429
Elimination of the verb i:;..
The accusative after jjl etc i:;i;
The vocative 438
The accusative after *$ 430
The adverbial complement 4 in
Jl
XVI CONTENTS.
SECTION
The verb O^ complete and incomplete . . 441
The sisters of kana . 442
The adverbial accusative .... . 443
Government by prepositions 446
&-0 ami v>£ 447
and J . 450
t^j, y> £* and ^J*. 454
i 462
^ 463
^f 466
0*4 467
C^a^J and Jj^i 468
03*> wM> J^> ?b^ and ^-*^ . 469
The compound prepositions 470
The infinitive noun 471
Concrete verbal nouns . , 472
The construct state 475
i)&, £-•©■*•, j*& and JJU . . 482
Superlatives as substantives 486
if
O' and U maydariyah 488
Improper annexation 489
No word can intervene 490
Definite and indefinite annexation .... 492
Apposition of the material 494
Annexation instead of apposition .... 495
The cardinal numbers 496
CONTENTS.
XV11
SECTION
The parts of a sentence
The subject and predicate 512
Compound sentences 519
The verb "to be" in nominal sentences is not
expressed 522
The pronoun of separation 524
The indefinite inchoative 527
The pronoun of corroboration 530
Use of O^* iQ a nominal sentence . . . 531
Impersonal expressions, nomina patientis, and neuter
plurals 533
Complements of the subject and predicate .... 534
Reflexive pronominal suffixes 535
Appositives 536
J X 0 I
£«H»-t 537
^fju without reflexive meaning, and other classes '
of appositives (ijj^t etc.) .... 539
Apposition of verbs 540
Concord in gender and number between the parts of a
sentence 541
In verbal sentences ...... 542
In nominal sentences 552
Negative and prohibitive sentences 553
Interrogative sentences 564
Relative sentences 572
Copulative sentences 576
JUJI 3\3 583
Adversative, restrictive and exceptive sentences . . . 584
Conditional and hypothetical sentences 587
Prosody 591
ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA.
J** Ob J0>o i*
§27. juo^Jt 4J3 *£AJLoJt aJ. The reference is to Coran,
Surah ]xiv. verse 1.
§ 43, Rem. c. w> Oj^W. The reference is to Coran,
Surah vii. verse 134.
§ 45. Dele^JU to be safe, ^^JL>t t° preserve.
§ 45, Rem. c. For ^JLJ to /wra Moslem, from ^o^-M /.*/«//<
rend ^JL>I <o obtain peace, to surrender one's self {to God) from
^ 444, Rem. y. For Koran read Coran.
§ 456. For dueJ (p. 169, 1. 11) read *taJ.
0 0 +
§ 470. Add, Rem./ U is often inserted after V>«J ^p, and
w> without affecting their regimen and is then called 5j>j\j}\ U
the superfluous tnd (see § 353*).
PART I.
ORTHOGRAPHY AND ORTHOEPY.
1. Arabic is written from right to left with twenty-eight
letters, all consonants ; three of which, however, are also used as
vowels. In modern alphabetical order they range as follows, each
with the equivalent employed by Wright's Arabic Grammar:
the second equivalent (if any) is from Elementary Arabic: First
reading book) being easier for beginners, as Dr Wright discards
digraphs, i.e. two letters for the representation of one sound.
EQUIVALENT
SEPARATE
CONNECTED
NAME
INITIAL
MEDIAL
FINAL
1
I
I
rtj
b
V
^
A
*r*
215
t
o
J
*
w-
lU
t, th
^
A
A
*^
0
g> J
£
f
a*.
C
*u.
h
C
»>
-
c
x\L
h, kh
C
«■
«k.
c
d
>
J<
Jt
j'i
d, dh
>
Jk
Jk
*<J
r
j
*
J1
OK.
ELEMEKTARY ARABIC:
[§1
EQUIVALENT
SEPABATE
CONNECTED
NAME
INITIAL
MEDIAL
TOTAL
9 *
Z
J
>
>
9
s
*
•wf
-
^*»
9
s, sh
A
A
**>
A
Am
A
9 ^
?, 9
w*
«0
«a
L^
Ju
d
SjO
rt£
-a
t^a
2Ub
t
u
fc
la
k
El£
|
fc
i»
J*
&
6 4'
i
£
0
x
£
9 6*
g> gt
£
£
k
e
tG
f
wi
5
A
u»
r. _
k> q
J
3
A
J
9 -
k
J
r=>
£
^L
9 -
J?)
l
J
J
X
J
9
m
J>
■4
■0-
-*
« J
Oy
n
O
J
*
t>
IU
h
d
A
y
A
9 *
w
J
>
*
y
l£
J
ft
L5
§ 2] A GRAMMAR. 3
Rem. a. \ following J forms *$ lam 'alif which is sometimes
reckoned as a letter.
Rem. e. 1, > l£> are called <UxJI o^». the weak letters.
2. The orthoepy, i.e. correct pronunciation, of Arabic conso-
nants is most easily acquired by learning from a Moslem to read
the Coran aloud. With the exception of minute and insignificant
divergencies this Coranic pronunciation is in theory identical
nearly* everywhere, though in India, and probably in countries
still more remote from Arabia, its distinctness has fallen off, and
the sound of some letters, notably e. and »-, is lost. Further,
the Coran's vowelling is beyond dispute; and this is of more
advantage to beginners than they are at first capable of recog-
nizing ; vowel-signs exist, and are used, for purposes of grammar
rather than to aid colloquial pronunciation. Slight indications
only as to Coranic pronunciation can here be given, together with
an explanation of the transliteration to be employed.
b ^
are pronounced as in English, but r must be trilled and h
Hi 0 X
distinctly uttered, however placed : thus Lt»**v* mahdiy one
led aright almost mahldiy, and a**.^ wajh face like wajhl.
m
h .
t 1 sharper than in English, and with the tongue's tip, to
d j distinguish them from
t | pronounced with broad of tongue, the tip being held against
d j the lower teeth.
* A Turkish 'imam will pronounce certain letters aR in Turkish ; thuB
kw'unil for J^l£a kauiil one who is perfect.
1-2
4 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§ 2
th as in thorn, thump ; but th as in goatherd, lighthouse.
j is pronounced (i) j as in John Jim Jack at al Azhar (the
famous Cairo University), but (ii) at the mosques of
Damascus, Tunis and Algiers J as s in usual, measure,
vision, and as z in azure, and j in adjoin, adjective, adjacent,
bijou, and g in lodge, prestige, singe. The former sound is
represented by Frenchmen with dj and by Germans with
dsch; if now we double *«• thus S^Um* a prayer-carpet,
it is easy to say sajjadah. or sajjadah, but not sajjadah:
the French j of bijou is therefore more convenient. Turks
however pronounce this letter as j, and (iii) most Egyptians
colloquially as the g of go, which last is the sound given in
Hebrew,
h can only be learned by ear : beginners must use h until they
catch the sound.
kh has long been employed by Anglo-Indians for the final
sound, harshly said, of lough, loch; gh being required for
Ch* ghain, and ch wanted in Persian etc. for the final
consonant of beach, which were best transcribed T)lc, i.e.
with the Italian c in dolce : kh must sound as in blockhouse,
thickheaded. Be it observed that »- is not a k but an h,
which cannot in Hebrew writing be distinguished from g~.
dh is as th in though, thee, this ; being as 8 of modern Greece :
but dh as in bedhangiugs, adhesion.
z is strictly th said far back: but usually as z pronounced
with the tongue's tip pressed against the lower teeth; then
z must be sounded sharply to make a distinction,
s sounds as in kiss : ^X~~c Moslem (quasi-mosslem) is niuslim
§2] A GRAMMAR. 5
the first syllable of which resembles that of muzzle -iin
neither in vowel nor consonant. If hissed with the tongue's
tip s contrasts with
9 which must be pronounced further back, and with broad of
tongue.
sh as in shore, wash ; but sh as in mishap. For sh the French
use ch and Germans sch, which last represents in Dutch
~» skh.
1 must be learnt by ear. The arrangement of throat is the
same as that required for h, but without aspirate. To
mimic baby camels is best of all; otherwise one must repeat
words in which t>*fi 'ain occurs between two vowels, as
JiS fa'ala, he did, s^Axi cJ^i cJ.** c~Ui, etc. (see § 369,
Table 1).
gjoi is the sound of gargling; but gh as in foghorn with the
Persian c-f g&f, thus aS gh.
q in Arabia is commonly pronounced as g in go, and so may
be said at first; but the student will learn to harden g in
the direction of k, and must sound .
k very sharply in contrast. No one who can recite the Coran
like a Moslem at mosque will confuse 2) and J> as do
uninstructed Europeans.
n as in English, *iAj nk being as in sank, sink; but ^J nb
sounds mb, thus j*J*o, a pulpit, called mimbar.
f are always consonants, as jjjj wazir burden bearer, ^£=>\ya
sawakin (Souakim) female inhabitants, UL*j4 yftsuf Joseph;
but, as these three examples show, t ^ ^£ are frequently
v letters of prolongation (see § 6).
ELEMENTARY ARABIf
[§4
representing 5 and a is sounded as h when tinal, and as
9* JO* *■*
t when followed by a vowel: it is called d)e>y>j«* £13 ta'
9* JO* >**
marbutarl tied, as distinguished from O t, ojjc** |tf ta'
mamdudali stretched (see § 294 rem. 6)
4. The vowels and diphthongs are as follows : —
0*
-£- a as vowel sound in aunt, wan, thumb, hat.
$j~~=>
—
i
jj i
, pin, bit, gift.
J
u
»j j
, push, bull, mustache.
l^
a
>>
, father, hard.
^T
1
jj
, keep, beach, chief, seize.
y
ft
»
„ moon, rule, blue, you.
L5'
ai
5)
„ aisle, my, buy, sigh, die, I.
J~
au
>5
„ thou, how, bough.
L_S_
a
is as a.
an tanwin of fathali
in „ kasrah. j- (see § 8).
dammatL
i J- an as an, but in pause as a ) ,
. z ' . *? (see § 27>
I*, an as an, but in pause as a )
Rem. a. The three Arabic words above are names of the
0 0- 0 0
vowel-marks, the corresponding sounds being called *^3, j**&
and^fr-3.
Rem. b. A vowel is called i^». a motion, its mark being
0 0, 0 * 0 i 0 J J
termed J£w form or figure, plural JUCit and J>*w. Hence
«5* *■ * J
a consonant when followed by a vowel is said to be i[ja^
in motion.
§ 6] A GRAMMAR. 7
5. When the Coran is recited, each letter, whatever its
relative position, in theory represents the same sound; but in
practice certain consonants somewhat modify adjacent vowels,
for instance va u° ^ & 3 cause a, following one of them, to
be sounded like the Scandinavian a, which we represent variously
in nor, saw, war, hall, wrath, ought, caught. As to the many
jargons which constitute colloquial Arabic, they show divergencies
too material to be learnt from any book : pronunciation of each
of these spoken dialects (they are unwritten) is easy to an
Englishman who can read aloud the Coranic extracts of Elemen-
tary Arabic : First reading book uttering the consonants like a
Moslem at mosque; but it must be acquired by ear at the
particular locality simultaneously with all eccentricities of
vocabulary and grammar*.
6. The long vowels a, 1, u are indicated (see § 4) by marking
the corresponding short vowels before I, }, and \£ respectively,
which are then called jc^JI o^.»- letters of prolongation.
Rem. a. In certain common words a is indicated merely by
fathah; as aX)\, etc., which should properly be written with the
perpendicular fatharl, thus <UJI God, Olj* Aaron, o^eJj}\ the
merciful, OU*-Jt the heavens, a«JUI the resurrection, ,>£J but,
&y> that, tjJb this etc.: the words ^>^L5 three, Oy*& thirty,
* Attempts have been made to print the Maltese dialect of Arabic in
Roman character at Valetta, and by the Bible Society in London, but in
neither case does the work betray a knowledge of philology. Far more
scholarly is the following book, which will be found most useful on the
Lower Nile; — "The Modern Egyptian Dialect of Arabic. A Grammar, with
Exercises, Reading-Lessons and Glossaries, from the German of Dr K.Vollers.
With numerous additions by the Author. Translated by F. C. Burkitt, M.A.,
Trinity College. Cambridge : at the University Press, 1895."
8 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 7
A+ji+j eight, 0>*'^ eighty and J->5j/~>l Israel are also written
defectively, thus JLSj, o>^= frg**?, 0>*^ anfl cPL^i-
7. Fatharl before ^ and 3 forms the diphthongs ai and au
(see § 4). Colloquial pronunciation, however, frequently gives
ai as ei in vein, reign, neighbour, thus *^w as sheikh elder, chief,
<Uti as beit house, family, verse, &~>A (oblique case of u^O as
ithnein two.
Note. The vowel sound in vein were better represented by e,
whereas ^£ Ju ai should remain a diphthong as in the French
word pays (nearly) pel in contrast to the French letter p
(nearly) pe\
Rem. a. A superfluous 1 is written after 3 at the end of
certain verbal forms : it is useful in manuscript to prevent the 3
seeming separate and so being mistaken for j and.
Rem. b. At the end of a word ^ following upon fathah (i.e. a
see § 4) is pronounced as I _^_ &, so that ^^Xs 'ala upon and ^ 'ala
to be high scan the same. When in this position I and ^ are
called S^oioJ I yjtiy I the 'alif that can be abbreviated, because
they are shortened in pronunciation if followed by a connective
'alif (see § 18); thus aJJI ^.U e/jt?o« GW and aJJ t *^U GW to
ascended are both in pause (see § 27) pronounced 'alallah. The
interposition of hamzah (see § 15) prevents tins wacl union,
thus CH^ £$>* 'alau -1 dini (Aladdin) the sublimity of religion.
The 'alif maq^urah, however written, is quiescent (see § 9 rem. a)
e 0
as also are 3 of 3 -^ au and \J of lS -^- ai- When attached to
tanwin, radical final 'alif is quiescent, thus Los a stick (see
§ 212 b); but it is also maqc.urarl in Load I the stick.
§ 9] A GRAMMAR. 9
Rem. c. If a pronominal suffix be added to a word ending in
^ _^_ as \£jj we see, the ^J is sometimes retained, but more often
is changed into t as d)lp for <2\jjJ or *£bj.3 (all pronounced)
naraka we see thee.
Rem. d. Some words ending in 31 _^_ ^,ri may be written 3$ _^
or «j _i_ as 3j*». or Sj*^ life, o$\*o or Syl«o jrrayer, *$£*} or Sj^j
a/wis : further we find aj _^_ or aj _l_ for St _^_ in the loan word
ajj^J or *jyy> 0/a Testament.
8. Marks of the short vowels when doubled at the end of a
word (see § 4) are pronounced thus _*_ an, — in, _•_ un, which
9 •'
is called v>J9*^ tanwlnun adding of the letter nun.
Rem. a. Tan win of fathan takes I after all consonants except
5, as bb gate, but <L~i drowsiness (see § 308). When preceding
^ it requires no I as ^jJb guidance. Notwithstanding this 'alif,
the vowel is short: thus baban (not an), but in pause (see § 27)
l»;il».i. We transliterate bb baban and i^w sinanan, but an and
an are pronounced alike ; except in pause, when an is not heard,
whereas an sounds as a. In pause sinanan is read sinah (see
en<J of § 2).
The following orthographic signs are also in use:
9. Sukun rest _•_ is placed over the final consonant of all
shut syllables (see § 25).
Rem. a. A consonant which has no following vowel is called
r' ' r. ° "
^>^L» o^fc a quiescent letter (see § 4 rem. b).
Rem. b. Letters that are assimilated to a following letter,
which receives in consequence tashdld (see § 11), are retained
10 .ELEMENTARY ARABTC : [§ 10
in writing but are not marked with sukun; thus aaAJI the
3 si
language, Co;l pronounced arattu (see § 14 c).
10. When part of a diphthong ^ and ^ take sukun, but this
sign is very unusual over a 'alif maqg&rali (see § 7 rem. b) or
other letter of prolongation.
11. Tashdld strengthening _-_ is marked over a double con-
sonant and the letter's repetition saved; thus Jj>j baddala to
& 30'
substitute, J£)l al kullu the whole.
Rem. c. Hamzafe (see § 15) may be doubled and take tashdid,
thus JIL» sa"alun a mendicant from JL» sa'ala to ask
14. The euphonic tashdld follows a vo well ess consonant,
which, though expressed in writing, is passed over in pronuncia-
tion, in order to avoid a harshness of sound, and assimilated to a
following consonant. It is used : —
(a) With the letters ^ ^>)3j j^u^u" u° J»^ Jo
after J\ the (see § 345).
j 5 o i >o * J J) *+
Rem. a. These letters are called <u~.*£Jl ♦J^j.s^JI the solar
0 0' '
letters because u~*f£* sun begins with one of them, and for an
j a * * O/0 j j > 0'
analogous reason all other consonants are called &ij*o&\ oji/aJl
5 ' -
the lunar letters from j+» moon.
(b) With the letters j J jt> 3 {£ after n with sukun, as
as j ij*t from his Lord, O*** w>L£» a perspicuous book, which
are read mirrabbihi, kitabummubinun. The n of the words
,j-« yj* ,jt is often not written when they are combined with
O ' '
U, ^>o or *$.
§15] A GRAMMAR. 11
- of
Rem. b. We may write ^ o' or *^ O' or ^1 tfc< riot, and ^1
for *5 O* if not> D11^ ^ ./**<w* u'hat is better so written for
U ^>t, as is Ul for U ^jt ?/ with SjuljJI U redundant md
(see § 353*).
(c) With the letter O after *t> > 3 uo |p J* in certain parts
of the verb, as <Z>>j\ I unshed: this practice is, however, more
than questionable.
Rem. b. If the verb ends in O it naturally unites with a
second O, as OwJ nabbattu / sowed or planted for
15. Hamzah compression {of upper part of windpipe) _*_, to
which a 'alif most commonly serves as aWc 'imad support, may
almost be reckoned by Europeans as the alphabet's initial conso-
nant. It is equivalent to the French h aspirde (which to English
sense is not, except in Normandy, sounded), and it may be
heard between the two words le onze and between la onzieme.
If our own definite article be pronounced before a vowel as before
a consonant, we can only prevent liaison by employing hamzafr ;
thus tho 'orange (o as e in thE book). Arabs would transcribe
a nice house anajshaus but an'aishaus for an ice house.
Rem. a. When a connective 'alif (see § 18) requires vowelling,
the vowel mark is better written without hamzah, thus Jt the,
<jj\ son (see § 19 rem. d).
Rem. c. Hamzah is marked between t and sukun or the
owing vowel ; but ^
i u
and even v~~j grievous.
following vowel ; but we find <£U his chiefs, ^L abject,
r. i. " *'
12 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§ 16
Rem. 6?. Hamzati is most perceptible in the middle of a
word as o!/*^ f°r (see § 23) o'L^1 al qur'ann (not qnranu)
the Corcin.
Rem 0. Hamzarl and 'alif are called *JaiJI ^t ^0 y alif of
severance.
16. We have spoken in the preceding section of 'alif serving
most commonly as 'imad to hamzarl ; in certain circumstances this
position may be taken by 3 or ^, the latter appearing without
dots (see §§ 131 et seq., 238, 240, 316 d and 361 a rem.), thus
■VLu producer.
17. Hamzarl alone, instead of 1 J J or £$, is written,
(a) always at a word's end, after sukun or a letter of pro-
longation, as *U- he came, *j~> evil, *,_*»►-« a coming, Ij^b thirst;
and in the middle of a word after 'alif of prolongation provided
0 3 * Oi
the hamzarl bears fathah. as ace. ^si\js>\ your enemies, but nom.
0 3 3*> * oi o 3 •* * oi
~ * 6 ) *■ , 0 i. * 3 w »
Note. For *U*, j&t\j*\ see § 22, and for %$->, t^^o see
§ 23 rem. c.
(b) frequently in the middle of words after 3 or ^ of pro-
3 > * 3 9* *
longation and after sukun, as ^£t^ a mischief for ^J $~>, XLJLa
9**3*6* 31 0* '
wish for rt-l>.»^, J-t^i fo asks for JUo ; also after kasrarl and
" * s *
dammarl before ^ or 3 of prolongation ; ^-lsU. khati'ina sinners
* * 9 3 9 3 3
for ^ibl*., ^r**lj ru'usun heads for u-'iJj- Sometimes it is
improperly placed over the letter of prolongation, as £Ja». for
9 * o* *
d-^iaa. or 4^ka- khati'ahun sin.
Rem. 6. Hanizan may under certain circumstances be changed
§ 19] A GRAMMAR. 13
9 - #£ 3 «.
into a weak letter, as a-* for iL» (see § 325 rem. a), ^j-3 for
*L5^ prophet, ^ji for l^ji shade, ^j for ^tj hea-d,j+j for j^j d
9- f ' 4, Zi z, t «Ai
cistern, iyJII for i^JII groefo, lull for lull we believed.
Note. For V I, lul see § 23, and for [^£ty*, 4 * •-£** rem. c.
Rem. c. The name jjilj David is always pronounced da'ud
however it may be written.
18. Some Arabic words begin with connective 'alif over
which is marked waclafr sign of union I, hereinafter transliterated
by hyphen, because the word and its predecessor are spoken as
it iO i 0 ' J i OfO *
one ; thus aJUl j^ 'abdu -llahi servant of God, 6j£>\j wa -d'uhu
and call ye upon Him.
19. Elision takes place to form the union
0 * «l x» J 0 x
(a) with the vowel of J I the, as c*~i>** ' >°^J ^ <^y <2/* ^
jiidgment.
Note. As regards t£jjf see § 347.
(6) in regular Imperatives of the first form, as j^-ol Jli ^
0 0 *
sa«W, i?<? patient ; instead of j~a\.
(c) in certain derivatives belonging to the seventh and fol-
lowing forms of the verbs (see § 35), as I>*1&3 1^ and they were
changed; instead of !>»Ai3l.
9 0 ,0 *i,i 9 •
(d) in ^>jI son, o^ two> *!/••' «• woman, ^wl wa;«<?, and a
few other nouns.
Rem. c. In most of these words the 'alif and vowel are pros-
thetic, i.e. prefixed to a vowelless initial consonant for the sake
of euphony (see § 26).
14 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 20
Rem. d. It is obviously an error to begin a sentence with t :
in such case the connective 'alif is written without hamzah but
A J O - 0*
with a vowel, as <*-U j^aJI Praise belongs to God.
Rem. f Wackfi and 'alif are called J^Jl \Jd\ the 'alif of
union.
20. The connective 'alif may follow
(a) a short vowel, which then absorbs it (see § 18).
(b) a long vowel, which is then shortened in pronunciation
to comply with § 25 ; as u*j*$ ' ^ f 1 -1 'ardi to be read fil'ardi
in the earth, -ktj-aJ I 0 jufct ihdina -1 cjrata to be read ihdinac^irata
guide us (on) the way : but the suffixes of the 1 st pers. sing.
\j$~~ and ^y may assume before the article the older forms
\j— and jJ, as C~JI ^ J^ot cause me to enter the house,
^>jJJI ^U O^ ^j~o\~> (or t>.>JiJ1 lt'W ^ W*M divert from
my signs those who.
(c) a diphthong, which usually is resolved into two simple
vowels ; but 3! or and 3J if take kasra, thus jt ju^^Jt j-j^-b
j^»U3 I the pronoun of corroboration (see § 530).
(d) sukun over a consonant, which then most usually takes
kasrah, as ^jJL^t ^9 for £t*wl J I ^ in the beginning, Jh>^-^
^j-J I (sometimes written ^^J t ,j ji^a^) Mahomet the prophet
pronounced muhammaduninnabiyu, £*.*-> I 3-U**. a nominal sen-
tewc# (see § 513), j-feul O^J t>at t°°k- r^ne pronouns ^^t yew,
^ ^«y ; the suffixes j£& your, you, j& their, them ; and the
verbal termination j£ take dainmah (in which thev originally
ended), as aJJI^^-jO may Gud curse them (see § 401/): also
§ 23] A. GRAMMAR. 15
Xc since because contracted for Ju* : whereas ,j-* from (see
§ 448) takes fathafi before the article and elsewhere kasrari.
Rem. a. When J,* becomes ^ (see § 185 rem. b) the wag)
may be made with dammafr j*** or kasrari ^a.
«» «• *
21. The I is altogether omitted
(a) from ^^ I in the formula aJJI jr~i for aJUI^wL? era ^
name of God, which by way of compensation is written ^ .»>) •
9 0
(6) from ^jj\ in a genealogical series, with certain exceptions.
(c) from J I *A* preceded by J to (see § 356 c) as jUiJ to
the explanation for oW^J ; or J verily (see § 361 c) as J»-j«U
certainly the man for J*-jJ*^. When three lams occur one is
omitted, thus aJJ to GW for aJJ^.
(d) from words preceded by the interrogative particle I (see
§ 361 a).
22. Maddali extension £. does not admit of transliteration,
being either superfluous or an abbreviation or marking an
abbreviation. Thus it is customary to omit 'alif which, with
hamzah and a vowel or tanwin, follows a 'alif of prolongation ;
then by way of compensation niaddarl is written over the re-
maining 'alif, as J*>L> one who asks for JIL>, ;U. he came for IU-,
, i - - o - * o j t , o £
j^t\^A\ your enemies formal I j^t.
23. Maddah and 'alif 1 also represent a 'alif with hamzafr
and fathah followed by 'alif of prolongation tl or by 'alif with
it <• t ,~ «,~
hamzah and sukun 1 1, as J I he returned for J! I or JU, 2u\ a sign,
l#f 4//f «« - »/ it B+f iAt
verse for <U1 I for SjjI, Ay) I gods for AyJII, L*l we believed for lull,
oUw for ollw plural of <&w «/< ecil (see § 242 Note 2).
16 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§24
Rem. c. Maddati is sometimes placed over ^ and ^ of pro-
longation when followed by hamzarl, as *^~», l^s^o, e££>w>
aLJ^o : it serves in manuscript to prevent hamzarl appearing to
be upon the letter of prolongation.
Rem. d. The same mark jtl is written over abbreviations, as
?-)\ for tj±.\ .J I or Uj.i.1 jJI to its end i.e. etccetera (see § 451 c).
24. An open syllable ends with a long or short vowel.
25. A shut syllable ends with a consonant, and its vowel is
most commonly short.
26. A syllable cannot begin with two consonants: foreign
words commencing so are transcribed by Arabian grammarians
with an additional vowel, thus franks becomes jHj^J Europeans
pronounced colloquially faranj or farang.
27 A syllable cannot end with two consonants, except
wiSyC bi -1 waqfi in pause, which ought to be made only when
" " m 0 0 J0>0 J,
required by sense, but which is really more frequent ; as *±LtoJ I <0
0 O s OfO iff
j^aJI &)$ (compare Elementary Arabic: First reading book,
page rv, top line) to Him belong the dominion and the praise,
witness also the Moslem credo phonetically written as pronounced
oil rO J J S <iCl'i'Ol)iOSi 01 *
at Damascus aJJ I J$~>j j>**-*3 aJJI *^J <*JI ^ la'ilah: 'illallah :
wamuhammadurrasulullah There is no god but God and Muham-
mad is His apostle. In the Urdu translation of this book - will
mark the shortest pause then , one of medium length and . as in
English the longest.
Note. Professor de Goeje appends to vol ii § 95/ of Wright's
Grammar an instructive footnote condemning pedantic speech,
§32 A GRAMMAR. 17
and he gives reference to a MS at Leyden. In fact case-endings
are nearly always dropped in ?»»;'Jj' al darij current speech:
throughout Arabia the proper name ju£j ,jjl is pronounced
ibrrashld by Badawin (Bedouins). The accusative is most often
heard, as L*.^ marhabau (see § 435 b) welcome pronounced in
pause marhaba (see § 8 rem. a).
28. The accent will not occasion difficulty to Englishmen
who acquire pronunciation of Arabic consonants by reading the
Coran aloud after a Moslem: it is designed to ensure gram-
* m + 4 m •*•
matical accuracy ; thus .»«.»■> (see Elementary Arabic : First
reading book, page fi bottom line) is pronounced yusabbihu for
fear of saying yusabbihu. Colloquial accentuation differs with
the locality ; thus aJJ I ^AK.a.0 muctafa -llahi chosen of God is
mugtafa in Syria, and in Egypt mugtafa or even mugtafa.
L^iCi/
32. Numbers were anciently expressed by letters whose
numerical value may be learnt in the following order jy& J^-»'
iJa-o JlslJ sZ*J*j5 ^aJuu* j>*J£> ^jla*. ; six consonants, forming
the last two words, being supplementary to the Hebrew and
Aramaic alphabets. Between the analysis and text of Elementary
Arabic: First reading book will be found a Table, which gives
the Phoenician, modern Hebrew, and other alphabets. The Arabic
figures now employed are
I r r p c i v a i .
1234567890
and they are used in our order, thus c • ITa^ 506389.
UR.
PART II.
ETYMOLOGY OR THE PARTS OF SPEECH.
33. Verbs are mostly triliteral (containing three radical
letters) but some are quadriliteral.
34. From the first or ground-form are derived other forms
expressing modifications of the idea conveyed by the first (see
§ 369 Table 3 et seq.).
35. The forms of the triliteral verb are fifteen, as follows :
,S,6
Jytit xni
,,6,6
Jawt X
*
, , , 6
JXAJl VII
Jail IV
Jii I
* , 6,6
JJLxsl xiv
S ,6
JUil xi
Jjuil viii
JjUo v
J*i II
,6,6
^JUxit XV
, , 0 ,6
J^-jail XII
Jait ix
J*U3 VI
Jili in
Rem. a. The 3rd pers. sing. masc. Perf. active, being the
simplest form of the verb, is used as paradigm, but for shortness'
sake we translate it by the English infinitive ; thus j*& to wound
instead of he has wounded.
Rem. b. Arabian grammarians use the verb jki as paradigm ;
hence the first radical of the triliteral verb is called *UJI al fa',
the second ,>**)! al 'ain, and the third ^OU I al lam.
36. The first form is generally transitive or intransitive in
signification, according to the vowel which accompanies its second
radical.
§41] A GRAMMAR. 19
37. The second radical's vowel is a in most transitive verbs, as
>i>'ya to beat ; and some intransitive, as j&j to go the right way.
38. Vowel i in similar position usually shows an intransitive
signification, u invariably : the i indicating what is temporary or
accidental, as^J-w to be safe; whilst u (meaning rarely to become
what one was not before, as w^w to become noble) indicates a
permanent state or inherent quality, as yj~~*> to be beautiful.
Rem. a. Many verbs of the form Jas are transitive according
to our ideas.
Note. The following sectious .give a general view of some
derived forms without taking into account whether the verbs
govern an accusative, or by help of prepositions a dependent
. (see § 423).
40. The second form Jxi is in meaning intensive or exten-
sive. Originally it implies an act done with force, during long,
by a number, or repeatedly ; as j£~* to mock j^-w to subject,
* * * * a *
treat as abject, \Jj+o to turn, shift \Jj*o the same but of several
* * * * St * * * *
objects, «^J-o to crucify w*A-© the same of many, ^c& to separate
J-o5 to divide into several pieces, JJ3 to kill JJ3 to massacre,
*Ja$ to cut *L3 to mangle, y& to cover up, ignore jj& to efface,
i/ * W * 0 0 0 * St *
jc« to extend jjl« to stretch much or often, dL~o to hold JL-« to
hold tight.
41. Not less usual is the secondary signification, (a) verbs
intransitive in the first form becoming transitive in the second ;
■» it «, St I
as wot to be wdl brought up wot to bestow a good education,
pifNfli, j-o to periiM j^j to destroy, jbj*. to be unlawful joj*. to
2—2
20 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 41
t + * * * St * * «
forbid, j+> to perish utterly j-o to destroy entirely, jL» to go
* S> * + * St *
j*~) to make go, ^^5 to be strong ^££ to strengthen, encourage,
+ * * * St*
C~3 to spring forth CJ to plant or soiv, and
(b) those transitive in the first, causative ; as *JU to reach,
attain «Jj to bring, j&i to remember j£*$ to remind, \js. to pass
{£j& to make pass and to give a verb a transitive signification,
w>Jc£ to abstain u j>s> to restrain by punishment, j-*J to discover
* St * * t ' * St *
j~*i to explain, w»ji to be near >->j3 to bring near.
Rem. b. This form is often declarative or estimative, as
* * * -» a +
Jjjus to tell the truth JJju© to think that one tells the truth,
believe one, w>J^ to lie w> JL£» to call one a liar, J*ks to surpass
* St *
J*oi to regard as superior, favour.
Rem. c. This form is very frequently denominative, i.e.
* St <■ < « * ^
derived from a noun ; as Jju to substitute from Jju something
b,* ,St* +***-%++
given or received in exchange, aAc> ^L* he said to him *&+X* j»y>~*
* St * ' *^j t * Si*
(peace be upon thee), jyo to fashion from 5j>o an image, JJJ* to
ul + Si * 0 * -
shade from JJi shadow, ^£s to speak with from je?)£* speech,
iSt* *"■
IJ to info?*m from IJ news (perhaps originally something which
has emerged or arisen), yj$* to write the letter nun from <jy n.
Note. It is difficult to connect ?m^» to praise with -»-*-■> to
* St*
swim : accordingly the native grammarians call *~~> denomi-
o o j ^- , St*
native of ^U*--*, see § 435 a Note. The verb jj& (which
generally means he disciplined, chastized, constrained by punish-
ment) in the exceptional sense he helped may possibly be a
denominative from the Hebrew 'ezer help (see I Samuel vii. 12).
The noun does not occur in Arabic with that signification.
§ 43] A GRAMMAR. 21
43. The third form J^li implies
(a) the effort or attempt to perform an act which the first
form denotes as immediately affecting an object, the idea of
reciprocity being sometimes added; as Uslc to receive ^jbiz to
receive from each other, give mutually, w~U to overcome wJU to
try to overcome, \j3 to read 1jU> to read together \ teach mutually,
J?) to join together j»i^ to reconcile, juo to extend **U and *U to
contend in pulling, js-^ to promise js>\} to fix time and place for
execution of a promise.
(b) This form sometimes governs directly, not without the
idea of reciprocity, when the first or fourth form governs its
object by help of a preposition, as jjlkLJI ^Jt J~>j\ he sent
a t • * * ** * , 6
(a message) to the Sultan <jUslLJI J-«»lj he interchanged messages,
corresponded, with the Sultan, aJ J15 he said to him something
*** "
<Ojl3 he conversed with him.
(c) When the first form denotes a quality or state (see § 75)
jili indicates affecting a person by the quality or bringing him
into the state, as jj-~»" to be good or kind 4-iwl*. he treated him
kindly, cU» to be submissive p^b to comply with,^u to lead
3 ' ' '
a comfortable life 4*.cU he found him means of doing so.
Rem. a. This form is sometimes denominative, as oUli to
double, multiply from ouu£ the like or equal.
Rem. c. In Elementary Arabic: First reading book page I f-
bottom line v Mi^W- may De rendered We caused to pass
(see § 456 6)/ * ^^ 7
Note. The form of the verb J>U he blessed may be due to
Hebrew, from which it is most probably derived (see § 455 Note).
22 ELEMENTARY ARABIC I [§ 4i
45. The fourth form J.*it is factitive or causative, (a) verbs
intransitive in the first form becoming transitive; as ^31 to come
, *5I #6> 6r//?<7, ^31 #o experience damage ^jl to Awr£, v^A-J to
ffe oLwl to make grieve,^ to be finished j£\ to finish, w*»- for
w~»» to be an object of love <^»**\ to love i.e. treat as an object of
Si * 5^5 .» * * 0 £
love, J^. to be lawful J^.1 to make lawful, ^^ to live ^pJ\ to
* * * * * o £ (~* '
bring to life, pj£* to come forth ?*■>»• t to produce, ]^Lt to be safe
j^>\ to preserve^ jJ**> to lean ju~»t to cause to lean, support, C-^
to rejoice at another's trouble CU^wl to make so to rejoice, *J-o to be
good »-Lo1 to make good, do good, follow right action, J^o to err
St * £ * + * * i ' V <■
J>*a\ to lead into error, cL© to be lost ©Lot to abandon, cU» to be
submissive ©lb I to obey, JU» to be long JU»I to prolong, ^>U to
be public v>Ui to publish, Jjj© to be drowned J>/©l to cause to
drown, bj* to be empty ©jil to empty by pouring out, ju«i to be
spoilt ju»il to commit disorders, OU to die C»Ul to cause to die,
jjJ to be on ones guard jjul to warn, JJJ to descend JjJ! to
send down, j&J to live agreeably ^xSt to bless, Jmu to fo expended
J>aj| to expend, j£> to be strange j£>\ to regard as strange,
disavow, *iU* to perish *iU*t to destroy.
(b) Verbs transitive in the first form become doubly transi-
tive ; as J»U» to guard, observe h\^\ to cause one's knowledge to
encompass, comprehend, J*»o to go into y}^i\ to cause to enter,
0 Z lO £' 0 St >° 3 '£ 77.
*L5~" <Sb he saw the thing t^JA\ *\j\ he showed him the thing,
Uy to hope for sj^f to put off, Ua© to receive ^Ja©) to give,
VU., >..
§ 45] A GRAMMAR. 23
0 0 #» Ot '§00 l,t>l
^£> to cover, conceal ^j-^l to cause to cover ; iji to read \j3\ to
teach reading or reciting, ^ji) to meet ^yJ\ to throw, ju» to extend
*'*■ ' ' . . ' 'oi
jlcI to cause increase, £>jj to inherit w^t to cause to inherit,
\J1s5 to guard ^3^1 to make to guard.
Rem. a. When both the second and fourth forms of a verb
are causative they have in some cases different significations, in
• t , zi ,,-
others the same; as <J}1 to give ear to \J±\ and ±fr\ to cause
people to listen, announce, declare, ^z to know j^s. to teach
j^s.\ to inform, U^j to escape ^+3 and j^a^l to deliver.
Rem. b. The fourth form, like the second, is sometimes
< it
declarative or estimative ; as o-°! to oe faithful ^c\ to find
0 0 0 0*%
trustworthy, believe, ju»». to praise j^»-\ to esteem praiseworthy.
Rem. c. This form is often denominative, as *-L>t to speak
eloquently from ££*^ eloquence, j*r>\ to bear fruit from j+j fruit,
,, 0 t 00 J t * * 0 I 0 * *
joj**\ to be guilty from^j*. a crime, ,>-.». I to act well from o-~**
l - 0 i Sf 0 , * ot
good, beautiful, Uai.1 to err from U*±» a blunder, fault, J-»jl to
9 j* §0$ 3
send from J^-y a message, apostle, j~t\ to conceal from j~* a
-at t/»j t *,ot iu^jnM;^
secret, pj~>\ to ntake haste from acj»* promptitude, j^~*\ to-totrn
Modem from V^l Islam*, *Ut #0 eft? z7/ from ?^-> ew7, t>=>*' to
0 0' 0 > 0$ 0 - '
lend from u°j* a loan, ^oUt to remain in a place from^U* a
« * ot 00*
place, Jv*' 1° grant a respite or delay from J^c gentleness,
leisurely acting. There is another class of denominatives, as
* *e. ^ 0 *' * * 0 i
tjl^t to become plain from ,j-^ evident, ^j**\ to enter the sacred
* Islam may mean in English the religion's geographical area, or the
religion itself wnich is better called Islamism as we say Judaism.
24 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 47
0^ ' - « 0 I
territory from j>j.». a holy place, }ys.\ to become destitute from
j}* want, jj-Jit #o become penniless from j^Ji a copper coin,
- - Off 0 ' '
,>£*! to find a place, become possible from ,jl£« a jo/ace ; and
* , oi m - - -
somewhat analogous is^-~jt to arrive at ease from^ to be easy.
Note. Beside the above must be mentioned jtjt to wish
which cannot be immediately derived from jlj to go to and fro;
jU»t to indicate, point out from jl£> to exhibit ; w>Ldt to direct the
course of something expressly at, hit the mark whence the
commoner meaning to overtake, befall from w>U? to rush down
as water-, *Jit to be prosperous from pJJ. to plough', Jjlil to
recover from illness or a swoon from JJli to be above ; Jil to treat
as light, carry easily from J.5 which means in Hebrew to be light
in weight-, £)*$\ to send from the obsolete J)*$ ; ^^-^ from ^»»^
both meaning £0 inspire, suggest ; and ,>a^ to make sure from
^>aj which means the same but is very unusual.
47. The fifth form JjtJu is reflexive of the second, being
(as are the next following forms) called pjU** a verb the
grammatical agent of which complies with, i.e. receives the effect
- Si
of, the action of the verb to which it is reflexive ; as ,j$\ to
announce <J^ to declare obligatory on oneself, ^e^ to make
manifest, show ^e+3 to make oneself manifest, Jibi to remind
jisjJ to become reminded of, ^\j to appoint as chief J*\j5 to
become chief, j-J» to make a bird fly jJo\ (for jliu) to draw an
omen concerning oneself as from the flight of birds, J^S to cause
to say, to make out that a man said so and so Jyu to make out
falsely that a man said so and so with a view to one's own
§ 50] A GRAMMAR. 25
advantage, j*£* to exalt j+Q to be proud, ^^ to address, accost
jj& to speak, ^$ to pay in full ^^j to receive payment in full,
and of God to take to Himself J^»j to make someone else to be
one's wakil, i.e. a person left alone, an agent Jib>> to trust
oneself to an agent who is fully empowered to act on one's behalf,
^o^t o^j he put him (anotfier) in charge of the matter j-0)l ^^i
he took charge of the matter himself.
Rem. b. Some of Professor Wright's examples in § 47 are
denominative, as U3 to call oneself a prophet from It**! a prophet.
In case of pj-^j to make humble supplication, earnestness is
denoted by the doubled middle radical and self-advantage by
the prefixed O in comparison with e.j~b to be humble. Further
we observe ouU he caught up, swallowed what was cast to him
to cast a thing to another person to be seized and swallowed
similar in sense to <JUU but with the idea added of taking
for one's own advantage : while yj>+3 to stretch oneself is reflexive
of the first form jlo to extend. We find also ,J^ to be near or
beside .J^ to turn one's side or back to another J^3 to turn
aside.
48. By way of secondary meaning we have the effective, i.e.
expressing effect, as ,j-o to make distinct ^^j to appear clear,
Si * W+ *
^j* to give a verb a transitive signification ^jxj to be
transitive.
50. The sixth form J^U3 is connected with the third : it is
reflexive, and frequently simulative especially when the ground
form is intransitive, thus w&o to feign poverty from ^-^ to be
poor. -Also we find U»U*J wrongly to attribute error to oneself
26 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 52
which is reflexive and intensive of Uaa*J to impute error to
another, from ^olL. to do wrong. More often it is reciprocal,
as y>\ to consult with ^-©U and j**\y to deliberate in common,
jjLj to accompany j-»tJ» to travel in company, Oi^ t° ne^P
^Ixj to help one another, d-bl3 he fought with him *^jU5 the two
fought with one another ; while ^U and ^U to contend in pulling
make »W> and jWj of two persons together to stretch a cloth.
Rem. a. When used of God Jy*3 and ^^O illustrate the
reflexive force of this form : aAJI ^jL3 God has made Himself
most blessed, aJUT ^)U3 God has exalted Himself above all,
see § 401 rem.
Rem. c. This form is appropriate to actions that take place
bit by bit, as Jai** to fall J*3UJ to fall one by one (as leaves).
Note. From sj^t. to cheat o^ (should mean if it existed)
of two persons that one cheated the other and oj\su means of
many that they cheated one another whence Cyi^o general decep-
tion, see § 202.
52. The seventh form JaajI is originally in certain ways
reflexive of the first, and approaches to a passive, being some-
times effective, as v~=*~! to make flow v~s**J\ to gush, *§**. to
become clear, manifest ^s>Ji\ of anxiety to be cleared away, I**
to skin U-JI of the skin to be stripped off, <Jlw to drive J>l~JI to
be driven, ^Ja.5 to cut %laJu\ to be cut off, to be ended, to end,
wJL5 to change, invert wJJul to be changed, translated as by
death.
§ 57] A GRAMMAR. 27
53. This form may imply that a person allows of an act being
done to himself, as j**. to drag j**J\ to let oneself be dragged.
is 0
Note. We employ ^l*^Jt to split itself as paradigm, though
the word is little known.
55. The eighth form JjC3I is reflexive of the first ; the reflex
object being (a) the direct object, as jZ* to conceal jZ~*\ to conceal
oneself Jjji to divide jy&\ to go asunder, jc* to stretch a thing
ju*t of a thing to stretch itself ^J»$ to guard (kyu\ to guard
oneself fear, or
(6) the indirect object, implying for one's own advantage, as
ja*\ to reward jm*Z»\ to give alms seeking a reward, jU. to obtain
goodj\Z+*\ to take to oneself that which seems good, choose ^>w to
be even with, equal to ^^t\ to settle oneself, become firm, U-« to
be pure and clear ^AJsuol to take to oneself that which is pure and
clear, \js> to go beyond and leave behind ^jufct to do so for ones
own evil ends, transgress consciously, ^£j* to cut out, manufacture
\£f£\ to do so for one's own evil purpose, forge lies, jj£ to punish
+ , +3 * * * + ' £
jj£i\ to avenge oneself, j-~j to play at hazard j~JI to divide by lot
a slain beast.
56. Occasionally, like the sixth form, it is reciprocal, as
,JU to meet lyLJt and l^.5^J they met one another.
57. Sometimes we find it passive, especially in verbs wanting
the seventh form (see § 113), as Jaij to admonish IsJul to be
admonished; also ^jdk to direct ^juAl to be directed aright,
which however may BMftli to find true direction.
28 ELEMENTARY ARABIC ! [§ 59
Rem. a. In many verbs this form agrees nearly in meaning
with the first, as I ju and IjujI to begin, /u*> and *.Jt to follow,
Ua and U&l to put right.
Note. We find also w£> to be poor ^UjI to abase oneself.
59. The ninth form Jbtit and the eleventh JUsI chiefly
express colours or defects, being indistinguishable in sense ;
St " O Si * *
thus ji^oS and j\sue\ to be yellow.
"*' *
61. The tenth form Jaa^I is often reflexive of the fourth,
as U».t to 6nra<7 to life, preserve alive La*JLJ to save alive for
ones own advantage, w**;' to cause fear s~*&y~>\ to call forth
fear of oneself, ctkt to comply with a command cUs£-»l to be able
/t( xOx*
(i.e. to obey oneself), , ^t to make rich ^iju^\ to make oneself
Stsi S> * * o *■ ' £
independent, jil to cause to remain jju~>\ to stand firm, ^©15) to
* * X b
make stand upright ^eUl^l to hold oneself upright.
62. This form may indicate a belief that some thing or
x 3
person possesses the quality expressed by the first, as j^>
,i O * 0 * J *•
(passive) to be unlucky j*\£Z~>\ to deem unlucky, Jui^ to be weak
wwuaZwl to find weak, despise, w>lb to be sweet and pleasant
w>UaZ«>t to find sweet and pleasant, j*£a to be great j*£w! to be
puffed up with pride.
63. This form very frequently means asking or seeking what
is indicated by the first, as ^j>\ to give permission o3^~»t to ask
permission, ^JL) to give drink ^i....",.,*! to ask for drink, jii. to
pardon j.A*wt to ask pardon, ^j to understand j*/iZ->\ to ask
§ 73] A GRAMMAR. 29
t„ t,t,6
the meaning, \j3 to read \jjCLi\ to. ask one to read, *5^ to befall
* '*' * .
«iy^1 to look for its coming to pass.
65. This form is sometimes denominative, as ^$Z~>\ to except
,*» g ',,0,0
from Utf a turning away from the course, an exception, UUULS-1
#o appoint as successor, deputy or caliph from dJUli. successor.
- , 0 * o * Si * *
Notb. In meaning j*t£*i to fo easy is identical with j— .o
and nearly corresponds with j-^; while &\3£~»\ to ask help may
be derived from o^t ^ ^^P or> better still, called a denominative
••«
of o^p ^P»
66. The remaining forms of the triliteral verb need not be
noticed here, as they do not occur in Elementary Arabic : First
reading book.
67. Quadriliteral verbs are formed (a) by repeating a biliteral
,,o, ^ , ,
root, as j£-j£> to gargle ; (b) by adding a fourth letter, as IsJl*.
and k-oXtfc- to s^avtf the head ; (c) as denominatives from nouns,
. * ,0 , 9,0,
often foreign, thus w>J5*- to jpm* ora w>;$»- stockings ; or (d) from
certain common formulas, as J-*-^ to say aJU I ^~*j.
68. There are three derived forms of the quadriliteral verb,
which are conjugated in the paradigms (Table IV) of Wright's
Grammar, viz.
Jlill iv JlliJl in JJUi5 ii Jlii t
73. Nearly all verbal forms, primitive or derivative, have
two voices, the active and the passive ; but we must often trans-
i J 0 J
late the latter impersonally, as j*»JI a dragging took place
M
1 i i vivtary ARABIC: [§ 7;
^1 jL*4 ">" pcmU to them, jsys±4* ^ ***" a fatting took
place (or, an onslaught was made) upm Mr I«tnds, i.e. they
hit their fingers for disappointment (see § 533).
75. We speak of neuter verhs, meaning those which express
* j *
a state or condition and therefore have no passive voice, as j£»-
to be trise, but Arabian grammarians reckon them as active,
<li>ti n^uishing between ajjju^I JUi^l transitive verbs and
iJjutLjl Jft JUi^)i intransitive verbs or i^JI JUi^t verbs
that are confined to the subject,
77. An Arabic verb has two States, the Perfect indicating
a finished act, and the Imperfect an act that is just commencing
or in progress.
Rbm. a. Acquaintance with grammar will teach how to
employ these States in explaining the temporal relations (past,
present, and future) which non-semitic languages express by
tenses.
79. There are five moods : the Indicative which is common
to the perfect and imperfect states ; the Subjunctive, and Jussive
(or Conditional) which are restricted to the imperfect; the
• rative which is expressed by a special form ; and the
Energetic which can be derived from the imperfect and from
the imperative.
80. By way of Infinitives we have nomina actionis nouns
expressing the action or quality (see § 195). In place of parti-
ciples two verbal adjectives are used ; nomen agentis denoting
the agent, and nomen patientis the patient (see § 229).
§ 80] A GRAMMAR. 31
81. There are three numbers, Singular, Dual, and Plural ;
likewise three persons. The genders are two, Masculine and
Feminine ; but distinction cannot in all cases be made, as J^5t
/ say, where the speaker's sex is not disclosed.
83. Verbs are called strong when the three radical letters
are retained throughout and undergo no change.
Rem. To contain I, ^ or ^ causes a verb to be called weak
(see § 126); but verbs in which the second and third radicals
are identical (see § 120) we shall call strong.
Note. Students must spare no pains to learn the conjuga-
tions in § 369 Tables 1, 2 and 3; otherwise they will find the
weak verbs difficult to impossibility.
84. The numbers, persons, and genders of the verbs are
expressed by means of personal pronouns, annexed to the various
moods and states. These may be connected, i.e. prefixed or
suffixed, in which case they are to be learned from the con-
jugations ; thus U we in UoA£» we wounded, j£ ye in ^Z*X=» ye
wounded, ^c he m^bO he wounds (see § 369 Table 1)*: or they
may be separate.
89. The following table gives such separate personal pro-
nouns as express the nominative: —
Singular.
Feminine Common Masculine
«* j
^2* she .... ^h he 3rd person
Z*j\ thou .... C*Jl thou 2nd „
... 01 / .... 1st „
o * • J
* These pronouns are called ~rul|Jff concealed see § 513.
32
ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 9°
Dual
Feminine Common Masculine
. . Ci they two ... . 3rd person
1 ye two .... 2nd „
,ai
Plural
^Jk they .... >U they 3rd
^t ys .... ^> ye 2nd
mj .... 1st
Rem. c. For the older forms ^* and j£>\ see § 20 d.
Note. In § 185 are given pronominal suffixes expressing the
accusative, and those expressing the dependent in § 317.
90. Regarding first the active voice we observe that the 3rd
pers. sing. masc. perfect of the ground form bears fathafi always
on the first and third radicals.
91. When the middle radical of the perfect has fatharl a
verb must take either dammafi or kasrarl in the imperfect ; as
JJaj to be worthless J-Ja-o , w»j-» to strike w>-*i which we write
JJbu _>_ and w>j~3— . Also jj\ -l. to relate, JU»._2_ to create,
J jj -*- to provide, ,>£-> -l. to dwell, j.Cw _^_ to be thankful,
j^o — to do wrong, injure, ^j* — to construct, JJU — to
nmli rstund, JU~i _■»_ to be impious, Ji-ZJ _z_ to shake, wave,
cp — to pull out, yA> -L. to assist, ^X _^_ to break a promise.
Many verbs admit of both forms ; as cnp to study, ^»j ju and
^y^i which we shorten into ^»jy -f-j also w~-*-±- to keep Sab-
Imth, and Ji£*-±- to ciiny.
§ 93] A GRAMMAR. 33
Rem. a. Verbs of which the second or third radical is a
guttural (either 1, «-, *., c, >, or d) may be exceptional; as
wou _^_ to send, J*>- -±- to make, place, *■*»• -r_ to collect,
l~±.^- to be driven away, ^j -^- to be the head of, *~~> ^-
* * * * * *
to swim, j»~~* -±- to fascinate, enchant, aaw ^- to intercede,
Jiau© ^_ to strike with lightning, ~Jue _^_ to pardon, *^o _i_ to
make, ^3 _*. to open, Jjw _£_ to do, *Ja5 _^ to cut, j^3 _^_ to over-
* * * * <• <• * ,*
come, »~-J _^_ to supersede, transcribe, 9~*aj _^_ to counsel, j^i _i_ of
water to ,/W, ^^yj _^_ to forbid. Many however conform to the
rule ; as *x».i .*_ to tofo?, seize, %Xj _i_ to razc^, J^^ _*_ to e?*tor,
f^j — to return, ^*j -l. to assert. Some verbs have more than
one form ; as %jj -7- to to£# a fourth part, *-Lo i_ to be good,
cji J_ to be vacant.
* * * j
Note. As paradigm we use Jj»i -7-.
92. "When the second radical of the perfect has kasrafi,
the imperfect bears fathan" ; as j£\ -±- to sin, lx*». _^_ to be vain,
.Ja*. ^_ to do wrong, sin, s^*j _<_ to /ear, aaw _^ to be light-
witted, j^-?- to testify, w-o^o^_ to consort with, J**&^- to
swoon, jx«o _^_ to be small, «-J» -^- to desire, w^.g -^ to wonder,
Jaj^s _^. to hasten, J** _£_ to wor&, <&>, *Xyfr _^ to enjoin, covenant.
Hem. Exceptions are rare, as i^Jj-Z- to be in distress or
poverty, jJs^. _a_ to be present, and OU to ^'0 for O5* (see § 157)
which usually makes 0^*j but sometimes OU-; or o~*j .
93. When the middle radical of the perfect has dammarl the
imperfect bears the same, as j-cu _a. to see, w~*» -*- to be bad,
an. 3
84 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 95
w-^-j .!_ to be spacious, <*i~> _£_ to be light-witted, j^t> _£_ to testify,
* > * * j <■ " * *
yiue l. to be small, j^ -*- to be great, j2£a.±- to be numerous,
^ j to be intelligent.
95. The indicative of the imperfect is distinguished by
j ' ° *
(l.uninah" on the third radical, as Jv»^J he is ignorant ; the sub-
*■ * O * 0*0*
junctice by fathati, as Jya*-» ; and the jussive by sukun, as J^aj*-; .
96. A termination o of *ne indicative is only retained in
the subjunctive and jussive when required as mark of gender ;
otherwise it and & ^^ rejected.
97. The energetics are formed from the jussive by adding
^_i_ or ,j— (subject to certain variations, which in case of
Energetic I of the imperfect may be learnt from the paradigms in
9***0 t o * c*
§ 369) thus, 0-**rfj he will certainly send from ^uj jussive of
wou. Energetic n of the imperfect and the two energetics of
the imperative are omitted from § 369 as they do not occur in
Elementary Arabic: First reading book.
98. The imperative is formed by substituting a prosthetic
vowel for the prefix of the jussive's 2nd sing. : when the second
radical bears fathali or kasrah" this vowel is kasrah, and when
. . . - 0*0 0^0
damman it is dammari ; thus, vJ*»-l make, j^-^ have mercy upon,
• 0 0 0 0 J 0 J 0 JO j
w-*m.£>1 remove, Jj&\ be just, CJwl calm thyself, wJJsl seek;
and similarly with the feminine etc.
Rem a. Concerning prosthetic vowels see § 19, rem. c.
Rem. b. Fathafr is never so employed.
100. From the active voice the passive is distinguished by
altered vowels (see § 369, Table 2) on the first and second
§115] A GRAMMAR. 35
Rem. It makes no difference what characteristic vowels are
employed in the active voice.
101. Instead of a passive imperative the jussive is used.
102. The derived forms of strong verbs must be learned from
§ 369, Table 3 ; attention being at an early stage confined to the
first seven and the tenth form, i.e. neglecting the ninth, eleventh
and following.
107. The relation of passive to active will be found analogous
to that in the ground form.
Rem. a. The imperfect passive of the first and fourth forms
are identical in appearance.
111. When the verbal root begins with O, >t>, »-, >, 5, j,
tr»> ch, u°, u°, i» or J» the characteristic O of the fifth and
sixth forms may lose its vowel and form a double letter with the
first radical, to which when necessary a prosthetic 'alif and
kasrah" must be added; as j.*kj j~io\ to draw an omen concerning
oneself for ^ILuj jikJ> i*5LL> JaiCl to fall one by one for
112. The O of the fifth and sixth forms is sometimes
omitted from those persons of the imperfect active to which
O is prefixed; as oultf she swallows for ouLlff, j^JJ she
becomes reminded of for ^Ju5 or j^JJ (see § 111).
115. If the first radical be O or ^>, characteristic O of the
eighth form unites with the initial O into O and with initial *i>
into C» 01 <^-> ; as *.JI lu- followed for **3I.
3—2
36 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§ 117
117. If the first radical be u°, u°> ^ or b, characteristic C>
J 0 - - 0 0 *
Lb changed into J» ; as w^ahol / chose from U-^ _i_ (see § 55)
and not w~&ot.
120. Verbs with the middle radical doubled are conjugated
in § 369, Tables 5 a, b and c : they differ from other strong verbs
in two ways.
(a) When both the initial and final radicals have vowels
the middle rejects its vowel and becomes with the final a double
letter bearing tashdid ; as ^>». _*_ to cover, ia». _i_ of a burden
to put down, J^ -f- to be fitting, j±. — to fall down, ib _^>_ to
pound, J3 — to be abased, *~£> -f- to be avaricious, jJ* — to be
severe, <j& -±. to think, }£> — to be potent, JU _£- to insert.
(b) If the initial radical is without a vowel and the final has
one, then the middle radical throws its vowel to the initial and
becomes with the final a double letter; as>&^} for jj±j, ,£)ju
for »iX^ju», JJu for JAij : but if the final radical be vowelless,
no contraction is possible; as J^in-wj, JJJu, c*.u!p ; and this
in ust be specially noted in the perfect of verbs like ^^ for
w-;»» fc> become loved which makes w%~»- and like u-o for
t^— wo to towcA which makes C «...»..*«.
121. The jussive is sometimes identical with the subjunctive
as j^j for *Jh>j.
124. In some derived forms will be found alternative
vocalization : this is common when the doubled radical follows
\ _i_ a, as ^U for »U, see § 25, rem.
§ 133] A GRAMMAR. 37
126. Verbs are called weak when one of the three radical
letters is subject to transformation or rejection.
128. Verbs with ^ or ^ for a radical are unmistakeably
weak, more so than those called harazated.
129. Verbs may be doubly weak (§171) : and even trebly, as
^3 1 — to rescyrt to imperf. \S3^i impera. #).
130. Hamzated verbs fall into three classes according as
hamzan serves for first, second or third radical : they are con-
jugated in § 369, Tables 6 to 8, differing from strong verbs
especially as regards the 'imad (see § 15) in the following ways.
2
131. The 'alif with hamzan and sukun I preceded by damman
o , o i* , ii*
becomes J, as Opj thou art mean not OO) ; preceded by kasran
0 j 0 * j *
*, as CxSkffc. I have done wrong not Olk»..
132. It is said by some that ^ and ^ represent sounds
towards which hamzan is inclined by the preceding vowel.
, l , *1
Rem. b. Instances occur like U»>^l we were hurt for t^i3'>
jjjul give ear for 0^'> &$ come f°r ^' (see § 175) : but
in imperatives following jor J the connective alif is rejected
while hamzah with sukun remains ; thus Oli so tJien come.
133. Similarly I becomes 3 if preceded by fathah, as ^*y> to
be brave not ^b ; I becomes 2 if preceded by fathah, as ^-fJ
to be in distress not ^"1* ; 1 becomes 3 if preceded by damman, as
,>' \ i>, t
y>* to be ignoble not to ; I becomes X if preceded by kasran, as
:;s ELEMENT1BY ARABIC: [§ 134
^-ki. to (A/ wrong not tk^. ; I becomes £ if preceded by dammali,
as J£w (passive) he was asked not JJ*^.
Rem. At the end of a word 1 stands after fathah, thus \jju
he reads but ajyu he reads it.
134. When preceded by a consonant with sukun I becomes J,
as cr»>rf imperfect of ^»y» not ^Uj ; and I becomes % as, not
^L; but ^ which and ^Uj are imperfects of u**^-
135. If 'alif of prolongation follows radical 1 at a word's
. ~ ~ *■ * '*
beginning we write I or t* or even t (see § 23) as j-ol to consult
.. i it **+
with for y>\\ ; and so when radical I follows 1, as w**-t to make
v for uu»tl.
137. The verbs J^t _±_ to take j*\ _z_ to command and
f < I ..,. O J O J 0 3
J^»l _£_ tfo £«£ make in the imperative J^i., j-« and J^».
• * ■* • * *
138. The imperative y* may when following j or wi recover
its first radical, but not so Jta. or J£» j thus j^tj or j-o^ but
O i , 0 },
139. In the eighth form of J^l the first radical becomes
assimilated to O, thus J^Jt to take for oneself: this occurs with
a few other verbs, but j**3\ from j**.\ to reward is less common
than j*»X>t which follows § 132, rem. b.
140. Loss of hamzan* occasionally takes place and we have
JLj JL; for JU _^_ to ask. The vowel may even be trans-
"t 'tot <5 „ , tii-6^
ferred, as «iUt to send for dJ^I whence JUU for J^JU aw aw^/.
§ 144] A GRAMMAR. 39
141. Weak verbs specially so called likewise fall into three
classes according as ^ or ^ is the first, the second, or the third
radical.
142. Verbs with j as initial radical (see § 369, Table 9)
which have kasrafi for characteristic vowel of the imperfect and
imperative, reject ^ in those forms. Thus jJj to bear children
J x o x x x t J x
imperf. jJj, impera. jJ ; js-$ to promise imperf. j>*j, impera.
js> ; jLsfc»j to find imperf. j^-j , impera. Jv* ; C-3j to fix a time
or place imperf. oJu, impera. cu5; J^j to leave alone imperf.
x x 0 x x x J x 0
J£>, impera. J£* ; Jisj to warn imperf. Iaju, impera, lift.
Rem. a. A few verbs, having (contrary to § 92) kasran" in
both perfect and imperfect, lose their initial radical, as Jpj to
trust J£>, w^ to inherit *t>j->, 1J3 to be near ls\j.
143. But verbs with ^ as initial radical, which have fathah
or damman" for characteristic vowel of the imperfect and impera-
x x m J x Of
tive, retain j in those forms ; as o~*3 to d°ze imperf. £y*yt ,
Ox OxO ftf f J JO*
impera. v>~jt f°r O-'H '■> J^O t° oe unwholesome imperf. J*>yi ,
1 03 J x x t Jx 0 x # 0 x
impera. J^l ; J.<^ to fear imperf. J^-^i, impera. J^-jI for
144. In certain verbs initial ^ drops from the imperfect and
imperative notwithstanding that fathali is the characteristic
J ff Of x
vowel of these forms; as j$j to leave jju and ^3, %~*2 to be
» f * 0 x x x x 3,^ 0 f * xx
spacious *~-> and %~», *-o^ to put doivn *-cu and *«^, £$3
J XX 0 x
to fall %su and *5.
Rem. 6. ^ is not used in the perfect.
40 ELEMENTARY ARABIC \ [§145
145. If initial $ be vowelless, a preceding kasraft or daimnan"
changes it into ^ or ^ of prolongation as may be seen in § 143
with the imperatives of Q~>} Jj^ and J^»j.
146. Verbs with ^£ as initial radical are inflected almost
like strong verbs, thus j~~> j~* j (see § 369, Table 9).
147. But if initial ^£ be vowelless, a preceding kasran" or
dammafc changes it into ^£ or 3 of prolongation; thus the
imperative of j~~> to be easy is j~j\ for j—jt and the fourth
form is y->yi j~~>\ to arrive at ease.
148. In the eighth form ^ and ^£ are assimilated to the
ul ' Ct ' s S
characteristic O, thus producing O, as ^iut to /ear for ^A^t,
of which the nomen agentis is J£« devout.
149. Verbs with ^ or ^ as middle radical are conjugated in
§ 369, Tables 10 to 13 : they differ from strong verbs only in the
first, fourth, seventh, eighth and tenth forms.
150. In case the initial radical is without a vowel and the
final has one, the vowel of the middle radical passes to the first
and we employ a letter of prolongation homogeneous with the
vowel which the first radical has now assumed ; thus
^yiau becomes <*J>l3y 1 of oil* _*. to circle
O-i+i » CH AJ 1 h O1* — to obey
*Jy»~i „ ^IsLj I „ Jli _^_ to fear
\)~tri m J^ 1 >* J^ — to reach
j*y~i „ j*^~*i 1 ,, j*\~* -L- to inflict
with form Jjiaj
»j
J by
»
j * • *
>»
do.
»»
3 * 0 »
§151]
A GRAMMAR.
41
with form jiil J$il becomes jUI iv of jU to obtain
„ do. *~o1 „ ftUol iv „ oL3 -- to be lost
n J*^ &}Ji n fSi^i IV » <3'* ~- to taste
x x Ox 0 * * ft * 0 * * ' 0 ' *
jOxftxJftxOx J , 0 , * \
151. But if the final radical has sukun, the long vowels
I _£_ &, \^s — i, $ -L- u become short, according to § 25 ; thus
o j ox e j *
* 0 - 0 i ' 0 x c
further abbreviated into »iJ
with form J*aj j«ju becomes jju i of ^b _*_ £o gw round
0 Ox 0 «• Ox x x
o x Ox * ' ' * - -
Ox 0 J 0 x J
*>* I
iai^ i „ ^JU. _±_ #o /^ar
*jj— £o increase
\ iv „ J»W .£_ to guard
u iv „ >ol5 jl to stand
%*a\ iv „ clo -j- to be lost
Rem. t>C| for o£i jussive of \j\£* ^ oe is sometimes
see § 583 c.
Note. We have C>^3^i he will certainly be from <j£j (see
§ 97) jussive of ,jl^_2_ fo ta : the letter of prolongation must
reappear in obedience to § 150. So in the plural, thus l^iUiLj ^J
fear ye not.
I LEMENTARY ARABIC:
[§152
152. It follows th.it the first form's imperative needs no
prosthetic 'alif; thus
O * Oj 0 J »
with form Jxil 0>^' becomes ^9 from ^jl^^ to be
» \}**l j<^ » J-00 » J^° t to become
0*0 0 , 0 , , ,
,. Jj«it ^JU.1 „ ^a». „ ^U. ^.to fear
i »0 ) J J J J 1 , ,
153. If three open syllables follow in immediate succession,
the first of which has fatharl, then 'alif of prolongation takes the
middle radical's place ; thus
' ' , , , , * , * x
with form J*i jy becomes Jo I of j\o _j_ £0 s^W
„ do. w~£ „ w>^ ! u «t*^ ~ to ^e absent
» J^> i j, jU» -i- ^ be long
„ JjLJl vii „ J>L» _j_ £0 c?nw
» , o , , ,
„ jUa^j viii,, j{±-— to be good
, , , o , , , o
j , o , 1,0,
, *\£s I „ ^l^_-_ £000 0w the point
of
154. But if the first syllable's vowel be dammari, and ^ or
\£ bear kasrari, we discard dammari, taking kasrari into its place,
and adopt ^£ of prolongation instead of the middle radical ; as
with form Jj*i Jy becomes J-3 passive of J15 _a_ to say.
155. If the first radical has iatbau and the third sukun,
three cases arise.
§157] A GRAMMAR. 43
(a) The middle radical is ^ or ^ with fathah ; when we
discard it and its vowel, placing, if it was ^, dammati on the first
radical, and kasrari if it was ^ : thus
x «x x ' »// x •.» «» x
with form cJjti C~«y becomes c**i from >*15 _*_ to stand
n do. C^** „ Oj-* „ jL, — to go
(b) The middle radical is ^ with dammari or ^ with kasrari ;
when we discard it and its vo-wel, but we place a vowel homo-
geneous with it upon the first radical : as
with form cJl*3 s^J^l? becomes oJJs from Jib _*_ to be long
x 0 x x a x x o x x
(c) The middle radical is ^ with kasrari ; when we discard
it and its vowel, placing kasrari on the first radical : as
, 0 , , 0 , * 0 x x
with form wJ*5 w%s>i- becomes CJ^. from t^U. _^_ to fear
' 0 x Ci x x
„ do. wo^o „ wwo „ OU -L- to die
156. In certain passive forms the \£ of prolongation is
shortened into kasrari, when the third radical bears sukun ; thus
0 4 ' 0 J x 0
oujj (for >z*jj)) becomes Oo> £&>w wast obeyed, which is identical
X **X X ,» XX
in form with Co) Mow Aas£ obeyed.
157. Most verbs with ^3 as middle radical take dammari in
the imperfect, and most with ^ take kasrari ; but some of the
form J*5 take fathafi. Thus
xx XX J X x Jxftx
3^ for i^£» fo 66 0» the point of makes jIJCj for j^l;
XX XX Jxx J X Ox
oU. „ ^^ to fear „ ^U*-> „ sj^-j
J x x.xx *x»x
44 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§164
j*\j for vo»J to sleep makes >u^ f<»r ^3^
J\j » Jt^ to reach „ JU> „ J~l>
We have mentioned (§ 92, rem.) OU for 0$* to <//#.
164. Verbs with ^ or ^ as final radical are conjugated in
§ 369, Tables 14 to 18 : they are of five kinds : —
(i) Final « _. -- I as lij to be near for $0
Y of form Ja* , _ /_
(ii) „ l£ ) [ „ ^ to s^ „ ^j
(iii) „ ^ ) *j ( „ ^*j to be pleased, „ ^
(iv) „ l£ ) 1 " LT? *° ^r'5^
(v) „ ^ „ J*i „ y^ to be intelligent, prudent
165. One of three tilings must happen : the final radical
retains its consonantal power, or resolves itself into a vowel, or
is elided.
166. At the beginning of a syllable two things are possible.
(a) The third radical maintains its power as a consonant,
in ($_£_ awa as I^J^ they two (masc.) were disobedient
,, L»_£_aya „ Cj.». they two (masc.) rewarded
,, }->- uwa „ ^Lj he may try
„ Vj jl. uwa „ <j)yuu they two (masc.) condone
„ \£ — lya „ j^o* he was blind
» ^ — iy^ » W*^ ^y two (masc.) were rich ;
also when following sukiin, as $js- a transgressing, O^y&j grace,
§ 167] A GRAMMAR. 45
favour (see § 212 a). The letter ^ in ^ — iwa and in lj— iwa
always becomes ^, as ^^Jb he was tried for ^Jb. The letter ^£ is
never found in ^J jl. uya or in C _z_ uya, though we have ,>«3
and the like in verbs with j or ^ as middle radical.
(b) The third radical is elided between a short vowel and i
or u : this involves contraction
(i) either into a long vowel ; namely
3$->- uwu into }->- u as O^^i they (masc.) call for ^^j^j
*t— iyu „ j-±- u „ 03j*!~i they (muse.) flow „ O^i^i
^j_j_uwi ,, ^— i „ o t^y thou (fern.) hopest „ ij-j^p
^^j— iyl „ i^—i » o*£~3 thou (fern.) gi vest drink,, ,j-wJL%J
(ii) or into a diphthong ; namely
U-±- awu into ^ _±_ au as t^i-« they (masc.) were clear for ^a^
^>_n_ayu „ ^^au „ \y1/j they (m&&c.) forbade „ \^>
^^.ayl „ i^-^-ai iiSj^>J^ thou (fem.) fo?-gettest „ O***^
167. At the end of a syllable the third radical is either
(a) vocalized or (b) elided, whether (i) it stands there naturally
as in w «,.«»*. / was hidden, or (ii) after losing a short vowel as in
^AjteJ he is hidden for .jAa^j. The following cases arise.
a. (i) It is vocalized when naturally so placed, as follows :
(a) if the preceding vowel be homogeneous
0 i J '
2 ' _ uw becomes ^ i ft as Cj^ T was prudmi
Cs — iy » l5 . i » ^t^ 1
46 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 167
(b) if the preceding vowel be heterogeneous
2 _£_ aw becomes ^ _£_ au as 0^*J / escaped
iS — aY » L$ — al >» °^ Jjk * directed
(ii) It is vocalized if so placed by loss of a short vowel, thus
^ _i_ aw becomes I _£_ a as ^ fo fo A1V7A for ^s>
Is -*- ay „ ^ ^- a „ ^J^ to reward „ j^J^.
} _*_ uw „ ^ _i_ u ,, j*wu /^ transgresses „ j***j
l£ -x- iy »> l£ -v- 1 } ? l£j^ ^ cuts mt » L$>*i
//. (i) It is elided when naturally so placed in the imperative
and jussive, thus
cjt call thou (masc.) for >c>t and cju for >£*xj
0 0 0,6'
*->t seek thou (masc.) „ ^iuI „ %+j „ ^£+4
,0 <0 ,0' * 0,
u^j\ be thou content (masc.) ,, ^ifjl ,, u°ji „ ^>H
(ii) It is elided when so placed in the nomina agentis (see
§ 80) before tanwin of damman" and kasrah, which
vowels disappear, while the tanwin passes back to
kasrah of the second radical ; thus
i J*i5
and J^U
0 x
>cU become
t^lfr a striker
0>l/ J
M
VI * J
J**~o owg who reveals
0 -J
„ Jftlii
5 ^->
JJ
' j
jU* one at enmity
*
0 0 J
0 3
>»
0 J
JX© a thrower
0 ,01
0 '0 J
J)
- 0 J
j^x^o transgressor
So with all the first eight forms and tenth (see §§ 236, 311).
§174] A graMm ai;. 47
Note. The distinction in a (ii) between the final syllables of
*$£> for >U and ^j+- for l£>^" is mechanical and not phonetic
(see § 7, rem. b).
169. Final ^ becomes t^ in all derived forms of the verb,
thus ii ijj*, in \J*\z, rv ^aS\, v {JjjO, vi ^US, vn ^^XaJl,
vin ^ju^I, etc.
9 J a -
170. To form the nomen patientis J[yiA«© of these verbs,
radical ^ coalesces with ^ of prolongation, as yax« glrwdt w/M
a sfo'c£ for ^^-a**, y.-^ frM for «>L* ; but radical ^ converts
j of prolongation into ^ an(l tlie two coalesce, with kasran*
preceding instead of dammarl, as l£*S-° one ted aright for
9J»^ t ' + *' + ■ *
iS^j^. Verbs like ^aj for 3.0; admit of either form.
171. Doubly weak verbs are of two classes : first those with
both hamzali and 3 or ^ among their radicals ; and second those
in which 3 or ^£ occurs .twice or which contain ^ and ^.
172. Of the first class there are three sorts, each admitting
two varieties according to the position of hamzarl.
(i) Hamzated verbs with initial 3 or {J
(ii) „ middle 3 or ^
(iii) „ final 3 or ^
173. In sort (i) hamzarl serves as middle or final radical, and
such verbs are inflected like both classes to which they belong.
174. In sort (ii) hamzan" serves (a) for initial radical, as
*\ or jt* for >$\ to fatiym, Jl or JU for J^l to return ; and
(b) for final radical, as si* for ty* to be evil, *l*. for t$». to come,
48 ELEMENTARY ARABIC i [§ 175
*li for t^J* to wish. The following table shows such verbs
inflected like both classes to which they belong.
a
6
Perf. sing. 3rd masc.
3*
t\L
tU.
&
„ » 2nd „
C*1
* 0 J
- 0
- 0
Imperf. indie.
J 1'
s^
2l£j
Imperative
0 J
J-
0
lit
Li
Passive perfect
k
gCrr
e^"
v*
S i * oi ,
Note. We can write Cot for Col in accordance with § 14 c.
175. In sort (iii) hamzari serves (a) for initial radical, as
^yl to cowc, l£j! to fo ^wr£ ; and (b) for middle radical, as (^U
#o fo /«r : such verbs are inflected like both classes to which
they belong, thus
a
6
Perf. sing. 3rd masc.
&$
„ „ „ fern.
0 ,t
Col
0 , g
Cojt
0 t.
„ „ 2nd masc.
• 0,i
Cojl
Imperf. indie.
Imperative
Col
iii
io
Nomen agentis
oT
3*1
&
Rem. a. In the imperative . J\ has also C> for Col and Col
see § 132, rem. 6.
§179] A GRAMMAR. 49
176. From certain parts of \j\j _-l hamzated 'alif may be
elided : as (indie, and subj.) ^j3 thou (masc.) seest, ^jj we see ;
o ' ' j oi'
(subj. and juss.) t^> they (masc.) see ; but (perf.) c~>lj / saw,
tjlj they (masc.) saw.
Rem. c. Radical hamzated 'alif is elided from the fourth
t i
form when meaning to show, as j\ show thou (masc), ^j\ I show.
177. Of the second class (see § 171) there are two sorts.
178. In sort (i) ^ or ^ is the initial and final radical, as ^3
to guard, ^yj to be faithful to one's engagement, ^3 to be near
(see § 142, rem. a) ; and such verbs are inflected like both classes
to which they belong, thus
Perf. sing. 3rd masc.
„ „ „ fern.
„ „ 2nd masc.
Imperf. indie.
Imperative
179. In sort (ii) 3 or ^j is the middle and final radical, as
{£$£. to go astray, ^j^3 to be strong, ^y* to be even with, equal
to, L5-». to live ; and in such verbs the second radical undergoes
no change : thus
v>i
&
0 * '
^3
0 * «.
' *
^^3
U£
v£
(3
J
Perf. sing. 3rd masc.
<s^
y£?
yj*
„ ,, „ fem.
0 - ,
0 * *
0 , *
„ „ 2nd masc.
* 0 * ,
wo^S
<^-tt?-
Imperf. indie.
0 *
' 0 '
0 0 *
Imperative
*\
*0
* 0
GR.
50 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§182
Rem. a. We write L»^{, as above, to distinguish the word
from j-lo^ John the Baptist and to prevent the union of two ^ ; as
uU> in UjJI (not ^jJI) fern, of ^j>y the nearest (see §295 b).
Rem. b. ^^- may be contracted to ^j*-, see § 120.
182. The verb ^^-J he is not has no imperfect or imperative ;
its perfect is inflected like verbs with ^ for middle radical; thus
1st 2nd f. 2nd m. 3rd f. 3rd m.
^^-J Sing.
l~J Dual
U-J (j>^~J ^o^J £y~) '3*^ Plur.
We may perhaps call ^^-J a substantive verb, because it implies
non-existence without connotation of time or change ; it is
mentioned in §§ 442, 559, 560 and 587 d.
Rem. a. ^^J is compounded of ^ not and the obsolete ±>~>
.at % ""
or u^j\ existence, being ; as may be learned in studying Hebrew,
Aramaic, and Assyrian.
.0
183. The verbs of praise and blame are j&6 to be good and
.o "
v~5j to be bad : they are exclamatory, and when a nominative
follows, it must be defined, as j~a+) I u~l> a bad issue is that !
Rem. a. The verb may be joined to following conjunctive li,
J iO. . . . 0
as ^jyo.*k\±. U,».o evil have ye wrought in mine absence.
185. We give here a table of the pronominal suffixes which
follow verbs in order to express the accusative, the nominative
pronouns having been mentioned in § 89.
§186] A GRAMMAR. 51
Singular.
Feminine Common Masculine
U her ... d him 3rd person
J) thee ... i> thee 2nd „
. . . ^J>me ... 1st „
Dual.
. . . lo-fc £^?» fo£A . . . 3rd „
. . . U£» you both . . . 2nd „
Plural.
,jJb £^m . . . ^A £^m 3rd „
,j^» yow ... »=» yow 2nd „
. . . U ttt ... 1st „
Rem. a. For the dependent case, see § 317.
Rem. 6. The dammafr of a, Ua, ^^a, and ,jJb is changed after
-^-j i^— , and ^-^ into kasrah ; as a»gl c?o thou (masc.) put
him off, jtnr&^ri he directs them, xJ^\ do thou (fern.) cover it.
Rem. d. For the older forms ^ — , ^> , ^*a, and ^£» see § 20.
186. An accusative suffix causes change to its verb when
(a) the word ends with a superfluous 'alif (see § 7, rem. a)
J " 0 0 J J * 0
which is elided, thus t»x»-t do ye (masc.) beware, but ^jj J^l
beware of them.
(Jb) To avoid cacophony we retain in the Perf. pi. 2nd masc.
2-jl. u which the language employed at an earlier stage, thus
^jj£* ye (masc.) have contrived, but o^jjSU ye have contrived it.
(e) As mentioned in § 7 rem. c ^ _c_ a becomes I _£_ a.
4—2
52 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 188
188. Sometimes the pronominal object is expressed by a
suffix attached to the word U 'iya, which cannot stand alone ;
thus JU thee, but the 1st siug. is ^U me.
a
189. A pronominal suffix with U is used,
(a) if one desires to avoid attaching two suffixes to the same
verb, as obi ^yUatt or a^JLLcI he gave it to me : also to avoid
repetition of the governing verb when a pronoun is coupled by
^ and (see § 578) with a substantive or with a pronominal suffix,
as L^^b vfry^*' or ^5-SfcUtj ^£-^1 ^ow fe£ destroyed them
and me:
(b) when a pronoun is, for the sake of emphasis, placed
before the verb ; as ^jlLJ ^U^ jujo Jbt Thee only do we
worship and to Thee alone we cry for help (see § 431 rem.).
Arabian grammarians divide parts of speech into three ;
J O >o* jo 0*
(«) j*->*$) the noun in large sense, (b) J*a) I the action, verb, and
(c) opJl the particle.
190. The noun (^w^f nomen) is of six kinds.
(i) The nomen substantivum more especially called ^o~>*j\ as
.. » •» 0 *0-> t * 0*0* "
well as o$-^oJ1 or OyU^JI qualificabile : to it adjectives can
be attached. This when deverbal we shall call nomen verbi and
treat in § 195 et seq.
(ii) The adjective, or descriptive epithet.
(iii) The numeral, or noun of number.
(iv) The demonstrative pronoun, or noun of indication.
§ 191] A GRAMMAR. 53
(v) The conjunctive pronoun.
(vi) The personal pronoun, or substitute for a thing or person
not mentioned.
Rem. a. Nouns substantive and adjective must be treated
together, they being in form almost identical. We give (iii)
numerals in §§ 318 to 328; (iv and v) demonstrative, conjunctive,
and interrogative pronouns in §§ 340 to 353* : the (vi) personal
pronouns, which have been treated in §§84, 89 and 185 to 189,
will be mentioned again at § 317.
191. In respect of their origin nouns are divisible into
(a) primitive and (b) derivative.
9ȣ 11
(a) Primitive nouns are substantives ; as ^joj\ earth, j»\
mother, &\~j\ man, aj! sign, miracle, message, verse, fy a well,
9 " " 9 " 9 * 9 * 0 £
Jju a substitute, jXj country, land, w>b gate, oW*-> serpent,
9* * 9 * * 9 ' ' 9 i
Jb^. mountain, ju~*. a body, red gold, j**~*- a stone, 0^»> fish,
9%* 9 0 9 J ' 90, 0 0 , 9 0
u*\j head, j&~j plague, J^j a man, J**-) foot, -j^jj spouse, i».*~»
9 - 9" 9 J J 0 S * '
grandchild, tribe, J**~» road, a±~* a* year, jy« a wall, ^-^-SJ 1 the
9' ' 9' J 9ft § + J 9ft
sun,j**o idol, »j$*a image, cjulo frog, O^y0 deluge, J^fc calf,
f x # 9 «x f 9 "^ 90 J
\*a£> a stick, y^s> eye, spring of water, ^ji mare, horse, .iUi ark,
Oft 9** 9ft^ 9xx
ship, >j* a monkey, j<r~* an oath, wis a heart, j+9 a moon,
9** • ftx 00' • 0 - *
/?$£> speech, *.y table, tablet, J-J night, JU property, 2U water
, * *■• 90, 9»x
(whence «U _i_ to be full of water), u*Ju soul, selfjyj runnel, rill,
jV ^°9t **-} face-> <** sea> -4H day-
(6) Derivative nouns may be substantive or adjective ; and
9 0* '2/
are either deverbal, as Ja-otf pre-eminence from J*a$ to regard
9 i ' '*l
as superior, ^^l lettered, i>olite from wol -^- to be well I nought
5 | ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§191
up ; or they are denominative, as 3»w a line of bricks, a chapter
from j j-* a wa//, ^-^ *...** Christian from -»*~~©J I ^ anointed,
Christ.
Rem. a. Arabic dictionaries catalogue words under their
radical letters ; those compiled by Orientals are mostly arranged
in order of the final, and by Europeans of the initial radical.
All place first the verb, even though it be derivative and a
noun its etymon (i.e. an original, primitive, or root word). To
distinguish may be difficult; but any noun which is used as
macdar (see § 195) will best be considered deverbal : thus *ikl a
falsehood beside being a substantive is infinitive of ^\3\ — to
l»>i"Ue, cause to put on a false appearance which has also the
infinitive ««il. Lane* gives j>»~> sea, great river, because it is
cleft or trenched in the earth, as derivative of j**j -±- to split ;
whereas some may wish to regard sea as a primitive noun. It is
well to treat substantives of foreign origin as etymons; thus,
)o\j*o way from via strata, c***»- sort, kind from yeW genus,
JDfc? O^l Satan, TOP ^^ sabbath, miH K*^ the ou
Testament, s)^^J*j\ the Gospel from tvayyiXiov, ^wj^a seat etc.
etc. Also we have v>*«JUJt (plural, oblique case) the mundane
u< 1 1 creatures (see § 302 e). Words which Arabians admit to
be borrowed are called by them w>*-° arabicized.
Rem. b. Arabian grammarians unmethodically divide the
nouns into categories which overlap.
Note. The following defective substantives are primitive
* An Arabic-English Lexicon by E. W. Lane. London: Williams &
Norgate, 1863 to 1893.
§194] A GRAMMAR. 55
9 » 9t 9 0 f" »/'
nouns ; <jjt son, »-t brother, ^wl name, jo> blood, iU.
i*J language, ju A«?*</. Many nouns may be called either
« ^j
9^ »* 9 0 0
deverbal or primitive ; thus, 2ljj.9 a village, *~jj wind, ^***j a
star, jJj a c^i/e?, and ,>* according to origin manna or grrace,
favour.
192. Deverbal nouns are divisible into two principal classes :
(i) nomina verbi which are by nature substantives, but also
serve as adjectives ;
(ii) nomina agentis and nomina patientis which by nature
are adjectives, but also serve as substantives (see § 230).
193. The following four sorts of deverbal nouns are connected
with the nomina verbi :
(i) nomina vicis, that express the doing of an action once ;
(ii) nomina speciei, nouns of kind and manner ;
(iii) nomina loci et temporis, nouns of time and place (see
§ 221) ;
(iv) nomina instrumenti, denoting the instrument (see § 228).
194. Denominative nouns are divisible into six classes :
(i) nomen unitatis, denoting the individual (see § 24C) ;
(ii) nomen abundantiae, denoting a place of abundance ;
(iii) nomen vasis, denoting a vessel (JU^) ;
(iv) nomen relativum, which we shall call the relative adjec-
tive (see § 249) ;
(v) nomen abstractum qualitatis, the abstract noun of
quality ;
(vi) nomen deminutivum, the diminutive.
56 ELEMENTARY ARABIC I [§ 195
195. Nomina verbi are deverbal nouns, abstract and concrete.
The former (known as jjLa* magadir, plural of j Jua* macdar
source, and as JjuUI iU-wl nomma actionis) are infinitives; the
latter are substantives pure and simple. When a noun is macdar
it cannot be used in the plural, and according to some gram-
marians (see § 292 d) is of either gender : in such case it nearly
• -••nvsponds with the English infinitive and can govern an
accusative, which obviously may not be when it appears as a
simple substantive. The following verse employs w>^^ m both
ways.
I wrote (it) and I felt sure at the time of writing it
That my hand would perish and its {the hands) writing endure.
Note. Professor Wright uses the term nomina verbi as
synonymous with ma§adir, infinitives and nomina actionis ;
whereas I require a category wide enough to include all words
in the succeeding sections. Without this change the Gram-
matical Analysis of my First reading book could not have been
compiled.
196. Nomina verbi from the groundform of triliteral verbs
are very numerous. The following specimens will serve our
present purpose.
1 J*$ as JUfc. creation, l^J* a thing.
2 O** n v°j* frail goods, JU. state (see § 207 a).
to « • o
4 Jxi „ Jxi*. guarding, £>j) religion, judgment.
§ 196] A GRAMMAR. 57
5 j
A
c
6 J** as tj>^£ top-knot, an elevated place, *»w covetousness.
7 J>** „ i^J^ guidance (see § 212 6).
0 x Ox 0 x 0 x r, , 0 ,
8 4-Ui „ a^»-; mercy, aa».j convulsion.
9x x 0 x x °' " .
10 ilxi „ i«J^ a wore?, SjiCi ignorance.
9*0 0 x 0x0 03
11 iUi „ *+3 value, 2^3 trial, 3J3 paucity.
0x 0 J i / {j ©5 j
12 iUi ,, rtaL ..,.» ft-,//, 4JU9 canopy.
22 O^*^ » oW coming.
0 xOj 9 'OJ t t 0«x«J
23 O^** » 0^>* criterion, sj\j3 reading.
9 * * 9 " t 9 " m t 9 * *
25 JUi „ c^ delivery, JIjj mischief, J^-3 error.
0 x 9 x x 5 ^
26 JUi ,, w^Ut chastisement, EU) meeting, jl*s support.
9 'j 9 * j
27 Jlxi „ jt^i. lowing.
0x x x 9' xx
28 Ajl«i ,, oly£ testimony.
29 djlxi M Ai1^. caliphate, 2l^3 resurrection.
9 * * 9 j *
32 Jj*i „ J>-y message, apostle.
9 * 3 "
37 J-oti „ j^ prophet (see § 17 6, rem. 6).
9' * 0xw^ f 0x«lx 9' *
38 iL** „ Aio evidence, aJLw «t»7, 3jl»j^ a ceVv.
0x 0 x 9 ^ 0 x
39 JjuU „ w-^-j-o roominess (see Ps. cxviii. 5 ^nitt)-
0 0 X 9 * § X
40 JjuU „ j-;^-o returning, issue, '^j*-* coming.
42 AJliU „ 1^ /mx? (see § 204).
9 ^ 0 x 9 x 0 x 0x 0 x
43 AJjiixd ,, Ajit^ flM / 'munition, ZjJA* r.rrttse.
58 ELEMENTARY ARABIC ; [§197
Rem. The forms numbered 39 to 43 commence with j* ma :
S « ' 0 '
and if infinitive are called ^^^o-* j jua*.
Note. Beside being feminine of Jsulj connector, nomen agentis
of its verb, ikuiyi ^e copulative is nomen verbi. Similarly
iJU 0ftd is nomen verbi of unusual form.
*
197. Most verbs have only one infinitive (nomen actionis)
to their first form, and very few more than two or three apiece ;
exact information must be obtained from dictionaries.
198. When infinitives are few, deverbal nouns (nomina verbi)
are very numerous.
No. 1. When infinitives these are from transitive verbs of
+ + + ' ' ___ . . . 0 ot 9 oi
form Jjti and Jju. We have nomina verbi ^».t reward, j*\
9 0 ' ' 9 0' t 90* 90*
command, %+**■ assembly, J^^ praise, Ul\±* posterity, J^* a
90 ' 9 0, 90* 0 0 ,
piain, j~o patience, jj~o breast, J^j* throne, Jh& connection,
90' 9 0' 00/ 00 ' 90 '
j*y£ covenant, J~a» separation, u^j* loan, j£© plot, Jy* gentle-
9 0'
ness, ^joju diminution.
No. 2. When infinitives these are from intransitive verbs of
* ' 9 ' '
form ^xi, except J-o^ work, rection which is from a transitive
9'i , 9 * t
verb. For nomina verbi we have jut perpetuity, J»».l fixed term,
9' ' 9 " 0 ' '
j-jfc. announcement, enunciation, %+b desire, >js- a number,
9 ' ' ^
anger.
9 0 9 0 9 0
No. 4 has oM permission, yo\ burden, j£=>\s admonition,
9 0 S 60 £
sorcery, \Juuo a like, ^U science.
9 03 J , 9 0 1
No. 6 has jJ*j true direction, lya evil, »iU* dominion.
No. 8 has 0*cj desire, 5j2£s abundance, £*!*$ a piece, aIbJA an
§ 199] A GRAMMAR. 59
95-
eoopression, a word, and ia*. a garden by which the ground is
covered, from &*. _±- to cover.
9 a o z s a
No. 1 1 has 5ia». unloading, SJ3 ignominy, <U5 paucity.
oil
No. 12 has <UI a course of acting, one course which people
follow in religion, people of a particular religion and so a nation,
9*0 i
a people, £!*». an aggregate, a sentence, clause.
9 ** .9 "
No. 25 has (jto perspicacity, c^W whiteness.
No. 26 has w>U£> writing, a book, w>W-»" obstacle, veil, par-
9 * 9 1
ft'ft'oft, ±J*$±> a contrary, and aJt a god which however may be
etymon of aJI _^_ to adore.
No. 27 expresses sounds, as in the instance given above, viz.
• ' '
)\$±. lowing.
9* * 9 * *
No. 29 expresses office etc., as 4i*^». the office of 4&.JU. caliph,
successor, aj^j governorship, province, ajI£». imitation, narration,
9 <• .»
5JLy a message, letter.
No. 37 has by form jJLt herald, ,«J^ protector, j^j one
9 9 * '
who directs, j&)£* interlocutor , J*%j an authorized agent, and
<fuiw a ybo/ which are akin to nomina agentis and may be taken
as adjectives of the form J~*i.
9 - * 9 2 >
No. 38 has *~ia». s/ra, also written **.!*»., see § 17, rem. 6.
199. If a verb has two or three meanings, to be distinguished
by characteristic vowels, there may be one or more nouns for
\* *' 9,0
each ; thus, 4i>j«-o knowledge and O^j* spiritual insight from
\JjS. — to knv } also iilj^ to become *Jjj* over a people from
b'O ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 200
sjjs. jl to be chief, \JuyS. meaning soothsayer or chief ; further
we find w-Jji sweet smell from wJ>£-£- to scent perfume.
200. If a verb has more meanings than forms there may be
9 0 s
several nomina actionis in correspondence ; thus *a£ a pair and
Afcliw intercession from xaZ> -£- to double and to intercede.
201. Infinitives are used both in an active and a passive
i i O i
sense, there being no separate form to distinguish; thus dj^.1
from Jl*.I to take means A/s taking another or his being taken,
%+* sense of hearing and oi'al tradition from *^w _^_ to hear.
202. The following nomina verbi from derived forms of the
strong triliteral verb are also nomina actionis.
\ •* « •' 7. .,. . • •*
n J**A; as cA^V dividing into portions, v**£>p cow-
• • * °' 9 Ox
bining, ^j*3 definition, J^Xxj assigning a
9 °C • . 9 Ox
cause, K}m.<Aiu exposition, J**#3 specification,
ju£a^> corroboration.
9 x 9 x
in JUi „ w>Ua». « discourse.
x x
|| *| • J 5 ", ' J . . 9 xx x J
<upU« „ AxJUo exaggeration, intensiveness, £JU* g^orl
£o overcome, *jj\jU appropinquation.
9x0 9^0
jL*l aw cwtf of supporting , ^-%^\ good ordering.
cj-flJ abasement.
9 J x x
<>j^ over -reaching.
«-^U31 transition.
«" ' • .. 9x0 9x0
*L*Ij1 beginning, JUJwl comprehension, jtl&ot
* ' W * XX
r< ntjc((nce.
IV
9 xO
JUil
V
•4„
J*A3
VI
9 t , ,
VII
• x 0
JU*t
VIII
• x 0
§ 206] A GRAMMAR. 61
x JIaa^wI as SLiZwl except ion, jUiw! an act of asking par-
9 * 0 0 ^ t 9 «»0 0
don, ^olyilwl interrogation, jL£wl arrogant
pride.
Rem. In form &UU* is identical with the feminine passive
participle.
Note. As will be seen from its meaning, the word w>'*^
0 St *
punishment is connected with the second form, viz. w> js> to punish
1 , 0 J OtO j JO *0'
(see § 41), to which it serves as JUk^Jt JytA^JI see § 426.
204. Nouns derived from verbs with the middle radical
S . 5 0 j
doubled observe the rules in § 120 ; thus J£ fetter for JJlc,
- - 6 4/ 2/ 9 0 " 3 ' 0 0-
Ji». truth for J**., «^)> crumbled soil for ^=o. w>j /ord for wo;,
■,..,, if, 0 * 9 i
fow for £»o»,o, AJa*. unloading, u**. a sense, aJU a
# 00
weakness.
205. Nouns from hamzated verbs observe the rules in §§131
to 135.
206. Verbs treated in §§ 142 and 144 with ^ as first radical
may drop it from the noun and then they add 5 _£_ by way of
0 00+00 90'
compensation : thus, from juoj jloj to put down we have *-£j
9 * * ... J 0 * * *
position and i*-o humiliation, from w-i-tfu o»-oj to describe is
iAo a qualificative ; while from juo j^ to promise we have both
* *' i*'i'i ' -i i * *5 * *
js>$ and 5j^ which mean a promising, and from J*oj J-^j £o
9 - 0 , # 9 '-
raw;^, attain are iA^j a means of connection and £Xo « con-
junctive.
Note. We find the substantive <u-> drowsiness as well as the
infinitive o-O a sleeping from ^>->j to sleep which makes O-^
in the imperfect (see § 143).
62 BLEMBNTAET ABABTC : [§207
207. Nouns .from verbs with 3 or ^ ;|> middle radical
observe the rules in §§150 etc.
o o , t 0 0,
(a) Those of the form Jjii remain unchanged, as t*J>3». fear,
w~£ secret, j$9 prize, J33 a saying, j>$> slumber. Those
like J*3 follow § 153, as JU- state, condition for J30.. Those
* 0, 0 ,
like JjuU most commonly follow § 150, as j~aa returning, issue
for J...A4.
9 -I
(0) If j be preceded by kasrafr it mostly becomes ^£ ; as i«5
resurrection for £«L5 (see § 6, rem. «) for a*^, a**3 joWce for
9,0 ^ «
4-o^5, both from j»\3 _jl. to stand.
(c) In the fourth and tenth forms the second radical is
elided, its vowel passing back to the first, and 3 _^_ being added
0 - - 0,0 9 , ,
to the word's end; thus Sjt;! wish for >^j[, iiLsl annexation
9 , 0 9, , 0 ' " 9 , 0 'o
for wJL-ot, ijlxlwt appeal for help instead of ij\yCL)\.
9+ 3 0,
210. From these verbs we have nouns of the form 4J3JUJ as
9' JO,
**y+>> duration from j>\* _i_ to last.
212. Nouns from verbs with 3 or ^ as final radical experi-
.... * 0 » ,
ence assimilation into ^£ in the form J>xi if 3 be the second and
it - 9 0, vt
{^ the third radical, thus ^ error for \^£$s. ; hut we find 3 in
9 a j 9,0 j "0 , 0 j
*5* force for &j£ of form 4-Ui. When the middle radical is
si !«»ng the following rules hold.
(a) The third radical is retained if the second bears sukun, as
9» , 0,0^ *„0 J
,*X»* «« ornament, o^e.* an invocation, a*A». concealment (see
§166a).
(b) Nouns of the forms jii, Jii, and Jii are usually written
with rinal ^, which is quiescent, while tanwin falls upon the
§ 2'2'2] A GRAMMAR. (33
f J 9 x 3 3 x
second radical's fathah ; thus ^jJb guidance for l£jJ>, ^*- a
tribe from i^^-j i^^ to gather. Sometimes radical ^ is written
I, as also in primitive nouns, thus Laft a stick for ya&.
(c) Nouns of the form iUi with ^ as final radical may end in
51 _£_, as S^L» for S^JL© (see § 7, rem. d, and compare § 294, rem. a).
9 xx 9 x 9 <■ »
(d) Nouns of the forms JUi , JUi and JUi change the final
- x x 0 xx ^xx 9 x x
radical into hanizafr, as **%> trial for y^b, *U-* heaven for ^U-»,
*UJ meeting for ^$U), *Uj receptacle for ij?^> This occurs in
nomina verbi of the fourth, seventh etc. forms as *lyZ5l m#, /iWl
from ^^J _?_ to forbid.
221. Nouns of fo"*ra« awd jo/rice are formed from the imperfect
active of a verb's ground form by substituting j> for its prefix :
the second radical bears fathali, if fathafr or dammafi be charac-
teristic of the imperfect, but kasrah if kasrafe. Thus, w>* to
j * 0 x 0 * 0 x >a xxx
drink, makes w>w whence w>j-~* drinking- place, y^-^=> to write
» jOx 9 xOx t i xxx J ftx
wxU^u whence *r*Xo jofoce 0/ writing, school, Jji to descend JjJJ
9 0* t xxx JJOx 0 x 0 x
whence J>^o halting place, jj~o to proceed jjucu whence jJ*+a
the place whence anything proceeds (see § 195).
Rem. a. A noun of time and place is called *J>jJsJI ^-J Me
X x>
wottw of vessel.
9 e x
Rem. 6. A few nouns take kasrali irregularly, as j>%~* jp/oca
(?/* prostration, a mosque, <JjJL« time or jpfoce of rising, the eastf
9 O x # * « 0 x
w>i-o /?&*<# of setting, the west, JaJL~o j^/ace wA^re anything falls.
222. Nouns of time and place from verbs with 3 or ^c as
initial radical have kasrafr to the secoud syllable and always
G4 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 22o
9 0*
retain tin- first radical ; thus j&yc time or place of appointment
from js>$ to promise (see § 142), £-f>* a place wJiere anything is
+ * *
put down, a place from *-©j to put (see § 144).
223. Those from verbs with ^ or u$ as middle radical ex-
perience change in accordance with § 150, thus o^-« place of
9*0* ' '
ti >r oy*-* fr°m O^ *° ^> exist.
Rem. Verbs with ^ as middle radical commonly retain it,
thus j~auo place qf returning, I ^^o place of arrival.
221 Those from verbs with 3 or ^ as final radical always
have fathah" (notwithstanding § 221) to the second syllable and
they suffer the contraction explained in §212 6; thus,
place of refuge for .«a-u for ja. ;o from U*J _^_ to escape.
226. Some nouns of time and place from verbs with ^ or ^
as initial radical take the form JUa* (see § 228) ; as OliU
0++ ' % 9 *
appointed time or place from C-sSj — to fix a time, *%+* time of
birth from jJj— to bear a child. In both these examples ^
replaces ^ according to § 145
227. Those from derived forms are identical in form with
the noiiiina patientis, as lj£»* place of beginning, inchoative.
228. Nouns trf instrument denote the intransitive agent and
• <• 0 9 '0 9"0 9*0 9 *0
take the form JauU, JbuU or 4JUA-0 ; as ^Hslc and »-UjU a key
from ^3 _«. to opew. Initial ^ becomes ^ as in § 226, thus
• *. , ,
JU** a onuKiitt from ^jj -7- fo £/•//$£.
§ 232] A GRAMMAR. 65
229. We have already mentioned in § 80 the nomen agentis
and nomen patientis; they are deverbal adjectives often used as
substantives.
9 «•
230. In the ground form nomina agentis are like Jsli
9 j • " * "
and nomina patientis like J>juL© : thus wJlb a writer, clerk
w>^2Co written, script from v**^* — io write. ; iWU possessor
9 J 0 - " ' 9 '
J>JL** owned from *iU* -5- to possess ; wi;U a discerner
»^^jl« recognized, approved from o^fc -7- to Avzow ; *jtf follower
c^Z« followed, sJy**- clipper ojjia»„o eliminated, j**[+. one who
praises >}+*»* praiseworthy, Jsul; £to z^?'cA Ms ^^j* bound,
9 ' , 9 .» 0 * 9 *•
**U. £to wA/c^ collects, great mosque c^a*** assembled, Ja1*.
ignorant, ojl£» hating, Jail*, preserver, ^30 deficient, JJ^W www,
9 - «
worthless, £Hj ora w&? attains, jJ!». owe w&? staj/s /w?#, abides,
% * 9 x 9 ^
©jli manifest, »Jl«o /?/o?*s, £to tc^/cA es rogrAl, ^©JU owe 1*^0
knows, a scholar, J-iL-^ owe w&? ignores God's benefits, an
unbeliever, j>f$ intransitive, %5t^ falling.
Note. As regards nomina patientis, we have mentioned in
§ 73 the impersonal manner in which passive verbs must often be
translated, and shall treat ^o**^ ^»3«A&+)1 Me objects of ange?-
in § 533.
232. From the ground form there are other deverbal adjec-
tives of which the following are specimens.
0 0/ 0)' 90 <
1. Jji5 as J^w easy, j+±. good, excellent (see § 242, Note 1).
9 *- « *■ ^
2. Jjii „ v>--»- gwoc?, beautiful.
9 t , 9 * , 9. -
3. J*i „ Jul afflicted, j£J churlish, Jguo thunderstruck,
GR. 5
00 ELEMENTARY ARABIC ', [§ 232
11. J*** as^JI painful, j~au seeing, j^S^- wise, j**^-
clement, j&±' well acquainted, %jj~> prompt,
H)6, powerful, jjj^» able, O**' trustworthy,
y>*£s great.
12. J*i5 „ j>& grateful, j^a* of God forgiving, J^>\
voracious.
13. O^ » O1*-^ «>^>>
14. o^** » CA**-J merciful (a borrowed word).
16. Jji3I „ cAs^t wA/te, * «>xj-l a// (see § 537), j^©l yellow,
of a horse </rey.
Note 1. We use No 16 to express colours and defects.
Rem. c. When derived from transitive verbs J~x* may have
a passive sense ; as w»~*» urged on, swift, t$t**- fitting, j^o^
praiseworthy, jujlw severe, J~& slain, J-p*^» treated with kuhl.
Note 2. Much of the Coran is almost in the nature of
rhymed prose, wherein £)$ _^_ may rhyme with £y> — , j} _£_ with
ji -r- etc., but the rules are more lax than in classical rhymed
prose*; for instance ^9**-) merciful, j^a mighty, ^J^ skilful,
* * *
etc. are used to rhyme with &~~* manifest, 0***-!; merciful,
&j*mX* prostrating themselves, &+i>L~*o Moslems, ^j.£z>\2> thank
* * i
ful, 0**&° truthful, ^^jj^^lo contemptible, sj^Ll» wrongdoers,
^>j>^iU those who pai'don, 0*^^ neglectors, O**^ victors,
* Specimens of rhymed prose are to be found at pp. 168 to 181 of
"Wright's Reading book" which I hope to reproduce as Elementary Arabic:
Third reading book.
§ 236] A GRAMMAR. 67
,j-j£wli impious, ^jjJkU subduers, jj-jj-bU beholders, and the
like?
■ i<r f ^*
233. Adjectives of form JUi are intensive, as from JjU
asking we have JUL> importunate, a beggar.
Rem. a. We use this form to indicate occupations, as \J\j*e
9 i '
a money-changer, ^1^3 a bow-maker, cavass.
* 4*
Rem. 6. There are other intensive adjectives, as j>^ ever-
lasting.
234. The elative, Js-oaJI ^wt ^ rcowra of pre-eminence, is
of form Jjiil as o-~*"' wor^ or ^^ beautiful.
Rem. a. When superlative these adjectives must have the
article as j**fj\ the most merciful, or be in construct state (see
o j j , t> i
§ 475) as ^AjJ£»l most of them, and if feminine (see § 295 b) are
of form ^jl** as ^« aJ I iLo-UU t M« most gracious word.
235. No elative should be derived from adjectives which
have already the form Jjtit, thus the comparative of u-suj! white
is L©Lo jtw! stronger as to whiteness : but elatives are sometimes
formed, though contrary to strict rule, from the derived forms
of verbs.
236. Next as to the derived forms in which we have
(a) nomina agentis :
9 m ' J , 9 »> * j
II w>jul« chastizer, j~Jl* explanatory, commentator.
9 * > t 9 ' 1
ill c^Uauo compliant, Oj^*-° contemporaneous.
9 O J 9 0 J 9 0 J 9 0*
iv ♦iUy* destroyer, ^£+* possible, j>ja+* guilty, ,>-.»*-©
9 0 j 9 0 J
well doer t •» La* one wm puts to rights, j>~k.*
Ira/tsynssvr, _.Aa* prosperous.
5—2
(J8 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 237
v Jj«».>< in motion.
vi A^lii* uniform, i.e. part resembling part, JjU^o facing
each other.
9 /OJ
v 1 1 wJLLu 0/^ w/*o reverts.
9-'0i CJ..'°J 7-7- 7/-
vin jj&** avenger, j~L^c hiding oneselj.
9 0 ' 0 J
X j^C-~© haughty.
and (6) nomina patientis :
92 ^ J 9 2 *• •» , .. • 2 .» .»
II j^Lo destroyed, j£~~* held in subjection, yj^asuo separated,
9 £ * J 9ut ' J 9 v>* i
wyU brought near, j,^^^ forbidden, inviolable, jjJLc
ord-a in ed, predestined.
9 * ' J
III J^\tLO.
9- 0 J 9* 0 J
iv jSLl* disapproved, ju-~« that which is supported, attri-
bute, JiJJsu* set free.
V Jjuu*.
vin Iju^o inchoative etc.
237. Adjectives derived from verbs with the middle radical
m + 9 *
doubled observe the rules in § 120 ; thus Jlo erring for JJlo,
jci/t stronger or Traostf strong for ,>jcwt, ^o owe w^o perfects for
J-cuo causing error, ^©D entire, perfect, ol^ repulsing.
238. Adjectives from hamzated verbs observe the rules in
5 •».» 9 «» 9 ^
§§ 131 to 135 ; thus JjL» <W0 w/fo as£s not JILj, ^^ grievous
9 * 9 O J 9 I ) 9 Z, 3
not ^b, o-**0 believer not O"0^* £*Jyo feminine.
239. Adjectives from verbs with ^ or ^ as initial radical
observe §§ 147 and 148, thus J*aU joined.
§242] A GRAMMAR. 69
Rem. a. Preceded by kasrafr I becomes ^ as ^15 reader
<i -
not I; 13.
240. Nomina agentis from verbs of the first form with j or ^
as middle radical substitute for that letter ^ (i.e. hamzarl and
'imad, see § 16) ; thus Ji^o flying, a bird, evil omen from jio --
to fly and not j-jU*, juU one who returns, j£\j sleeping.
241. Nomina patientis from verbs of the first form with ^ or
L$ as middle radical, in case of j elide it and throw back its
vowel to the first radical ; thus sj$£»^> to he feared for oj^si^© :
but in case of \£ its elision must be marked by substituting
kasrah for dammar], and then 3 of prolongation becomes \£ ;
thus O-iJ^ one who receives recompense for ijiyiJ^.
9 JO*
Rem. Sometimes we find an uncontracted form, as £)3i<**
a debtor.
242. Adjectives of form J«**» from verbs with ^ or ^ as
middle radical become J*i and sometimes J*s : thus, for w**k
from w>U» — we have w~Jb #00e?, sowwd, agreeable ; for ,j-^
from jb — is O-^ evident ; for ^>w fr°m *^w - is 1^^
wicked; for Cu^* from OU _*_ is C*«.» cfeac?, and for its
opposite i^:**- from ^^fc. _^_ we have ^j** living ; also for j*+±.
* * 90* 9 vi+ 0 0 o Out*
from jU. — is j~± excellent, v>^b easy for 0^>*> •-**■"' c^y, forrf.
Note 1. In § 232 is to be found ;**• under form J*3 : it is
from jlfc. — to choose and means to be chosen whence the elative
0 9 0 * *' '
v>« y*±- choosable rather than, better than : its opposite jZ» bad,
worse, is also used as elative.
70 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§243
Note 2. We may consider «U^ and a£w (see § 19G, No. 38)
as substantives derived from the adjectives ^j and a^w.
243. Adjectives from the derived forms of verbs with ^ or
^ as middle radical follow in respect of it the rules of their
Imperfects, thus £>~a manifest like ,>**? Iv °* oW — to be
distinct, w~-o* that which strikes home like w^cu tv of w>li -L.
(see § 45, Note), JU« annexed like JUu iv passive of ^*la —
0 ' 0 J t t J ' 0 * s ^
to incline, ^Ju~** straight like^iiZ^ x of ^15 _j_ to stand.
9< J 9-0
Note 1. For a.,,*.^.* aj>o a blow that hits we find
which we may render a mischance.
Note 2. Be it observed that the nomina agentis and patientis
of Form vn are identical, and so with Form vm.
244. We have treated in § 167 b (ii) the nomina agentis of
verbs with ^ or ^ as final radical, and the nomina patientis in
§ 170, which last section gives rules applicable to adjectives of
forms Jy«i and J*«i ; thus $js> hostile, an enemy for ^js-t
% , ' 9 * I, * 9 ,
J^JLc high, sublime for^l*, ^s> rich, self-sufficing for ^^i.
Note. In the Coran *js> is sometimes a collective noun.
245. Adjectives, whose second radical bears fathah, from
verbs with ^ or ^ (which we now write ^) as final radical,
reject their final vowel.
(a) If triptote (see § 308) tanwln is transferred to the second
radical (compare §2126); thus ^lax>e given noinen patientis iv
of Ua* _2_ for jkx*, ^U dual, ^.^.^ an exception.
§ 250] A. GRAMMAR. 71
(b) If diptote there is only the vowel to reject ; thus ^^j'
better or best pleased for y&)\.
246. Nomina unitatis nouns of individuality, which specify one
from a genus or one part of a whole, are formed by adding 3 _^_ to
<i ' ' '
the collective noun (see §§ 292 a, 306 rem.). Thus, Zjaj one head
0 0' 0 "
of cattle {ox or cow, jy being usual for a bull) from jio cattle,
5j-^> a fruit from j^j /rw?V, SjIja. a grasshopper, locust from >tj*-,
9^ <• <• 9 ' ' 9' ■» 9' ' ' .
<UU*w a cfowd from w>U^» (for 3j^w see § 191 b), aJ'^Lo an error
° " "
(by some considered nomen verbi, see § 196, No. 28) from J^to,
9" +* 9 *+ 9'Sij 9ij 9*9*
a*1»£ a cloud from j&+z, ii«5 a /owse from J*o3 &'ce, 5JU a m'gr^f
90' *' ' ' 9 ' '
from J.J night, Zj&J* a tree from ja»w.
Note. We find also 5tj-L» a quail from ^>lw gwaaY.
9' 0 oi ' &
249. The relative adjective ^»-JI is formed by adding ^ —
to the word from which it is derived, and denotes some thing or
person connected therewith. Thus, ^...^ so/ar from u..0,mJl ;Ai
3 ~ 9~ 3" , j "0'
sun, ^j-^5 /*/w«r from j+3 moon, ^j* Arabian from w>j*^' ^
3 e ioo'
Arabs, t<J-JLOt English from jJL5u^t Me English collectively,
■ ' ,' ' '
Z 0' 9 0' % 0 ' 9w Ox ,
^jJi mental from wJi a #e#r£, ^5j^» saracen <L3jJ* sirocco from
.» « 3 ^ 3 o g 9 o 5 o * «.•'
JjjJUl Me eastf, Lj*— I nominal from ^o~»l, ^>k local from <*J>k,
3 ' ir - 3 o 90
^U. circumstantial from JU., ^bti verbal horn J*i.
250. But the derivatives cannot always be formed so simply :
certain terminations are rejected, and other changes arise. Thus
i£i Mecca ^jiLc, l*\ (see § 198, No. 12) J^It illiterate, ZLj^\
72 ELEMENTARY ARABIC I [§ 269
2 * X + * 0 JO' 2 0 J 9 x O-
Medina ^yJ^, O^*^—^' ^ Moslems ^j+L~*, aJkAJ a wore?
^^jJU, ^yju* signification {J^^c, ajua». reality ^j****-, and the
9>/4 2 - ■»
Prophet's tribe c£.>ji makes ^j>*>
90. J 9 0*1
269. The diminutive is of form J«oe thus o-*~*" fr°m C
beautiful.
289. Nouns substantive must in gender be masculine, femi-
nine, or common, for Arabic has no neuter.
290. Nouns are said to be feminine (a) by signification, or
(b) by form ; as,
(a) j»t a mother, jy^s- an old woman, j*iy> Mary, yj+& an
eye, ju a hand.
9%, 9 0,
Rem. Masculine are ^»\j a head, and a».j a face.
9" ' 9' » Six xOj
(&) Syu aw oa? or cow, 5>^w a chapter, <U». a garden, \£j^i
good news.
Rem. A few nouns ending in 5 _^_ are masculine because only
9 - *
used of males, as aaJU. caliph.
9 Oi
291. Certain nouns are feminine only by usage; as ^°j\
• * 9 J 0 S , t ,
earth, j\* a mansion, ^jj wind, ^>.»»Jt the sun, Las a stick,
90. ,, V *
±r>x> a soul, self, jO fire.
292. Many are said to be masculine by form and feminine by
signification : together with others, these are oi" common gender ;
thus,
§ 294] A GRAMMAR. 73
(a) Collective nouns which form nomina unitatis (see § 246)
chiefly denoting animals and plants : but ^J^Lj quail is usually
masculine.
(6) Collective nouns denoting rational beings and not forming
nomina unitatis, as ^Al*. posterity, *%t chieftains, j>y» one's
90c 9<*
people or tribe. But Jjbt and Jl one's household, people are mas-
culine only.
(d) Deverbal nouns when infinitives (macjidir, see § 195).
(e) Words regarded as such. But jjli» to be is feminine, as
<UL3I O^9 th* complete kdna (see §441): so also usually are
j 5 ^ ft ,i* i
particles, as ajjjlo^JI ,jl the 'an which with its verb is equivalent
l * * * } bio *
to a macdar (see § 488), lj— *«J I O' &* explicative 'an (see § 367 e),
i*J»j2jl <jt tifo conditional 'in (see § 367/), i^iUM £>t tf* fMgftiP
&w 't* (see § 362 k).
(/) Certain nouns among which are the following ; jJio a
9 * 9 * ~,+
human being, humankind, JU. state, J-**** road, l\+~» heaven,
9 ' 9 03 9 0' 8»J , t * J
b\yo a way, »iUi a ship, J-J w/<//^, »iLU dominion, ^jJb guidance.
293. From most adjectives and some substantives of the
masculine gender, feminines are formed ending in 5_i_, ^ ^_,
or *l-^_.
Rem. Of these 3_i_ is appended without further change,
but feminines in \£-£- and *l^_ are distinct in form from the
masculine.
294. The most usual termination is 3^_; thus, ^£.1 (for
9 I 9* ~ 9 s O- - 00 9^0
j^.^) latter, last 5 j**\, j~o{+. present ij^cX*., ^j.5 monkey 2>j3 she-
' 2 - * ''>' + * * ' '
monkey, ^C© Meccan i^C*.
74 ELEMENTARY ARABTP : [§ 2!) 5
Rem. a. A dropped radical may be replaced, as 5^-» from
*L^w kmt (see § 212 tf) : but SLa-Jo-a* (for a*A1xcl«) from
^hoo chosen.
Rem. A. S - (see end of § 2 and § 8, rem. a) is a compromise
in orthography between the old pausal form d _s_, and O _^_ which
we find in C-s^o^ mercy, C**A£» W0?'<2 for the more modern 4-o^g
and ioJL£>. We write C-*£.l sister for 5^.1.
295. Feminines ending in ^ _^_ are derived,
(a) from adjectives of form 0*}Ui which make ^jksi, as
j(~£ angry ^J** ;
(b) from adjectives of form Jj*il when superlative (being
defined by the article or following noun, see § 234, rem. a) in
* oj j .■ o £ t> ,
which case the feminine is ^^ ; as, ,>~»^ t the most beautiful
^...vll, ^>*$\ the nearest tojJI (see § 179, rem. a), j^^ the
greatest ,jjIj^JI \^£^s the greatest of the cities.
Rem. b. The feminine of J^l (for J^t or Jjt*^)') the first
(see §328) is ^y^', and that of j*.t (for ^11) other, another
- 0 I
is L&-*-'-
296. Feminines ending in il _^_ are derived from adjectives
of form Jj»il which are not elatives, as v^ot wA/fo? ^Uclo, *«>.». t
~ , a * ^
f/// *U*»-. There are feminines which have no masculine, as
llfjje- most Arab which should come (irregularly, being elative)
from w>*t-
297. All adjectives do not invariably employ their feminine
forms, and some few have none. Only let the meaning be clear
and there may be a laxity as regards form : thus,
§ 297] A GRAMMAR. 75
(a) JytJ is of both genders when active in signification and
6 J ^ 9 1 *
attached to a singular substantive, as j^w J**j a grateful man
0 J ' 9i'6
and )£Z> Slj^l a grateful woman ; also when active in meaning
and predicate to a substantive or pronoun in the singular, as
)$£* ^ she is grateful, 1)3** I^jjJ* I thought her patient. If
however no substantive or pronoun be expressed we must, in
order to make our meaning clear, employ the feminine form
4j^xi, as ojj&j c^tj I saw a grateful woman, 4Jj-fr»- «*) U he has
not a she-camel to carry loads : also, this is required when the
adjective is passive by signification, as *u>U. a50 aJ U lie has
not a she-camel to milk i.e. to be milked.
9 j *
Note. Being only used of God jy&e. forgiving has no feminine.
I**
Rem. a. Exceptions are to be found, as ^jcc hostile, an
enemy fern. Sjj^.
*
(b) J*** is of both genders when passive in signification and
attached to a singular substantive, as J-jlS 31^*1 a slain woman ;
also when passive in meaning and predicate to a substantive or
pronoun in the singular, as w~~»- ^ she is swift, J^a>£» Ch*^
the eye is treated with kuhl. But if no substantive or pronoun be
expressed we must, in order to make our meaning clear, employ
iLx3, as £UlS wolj I saw a slain woman : also, this is required
when the adjective is active by signification ; whether transitive,
as a^jAc 31^*1 a skilful woman, cj.t^. jy*-z an experienced old
woman ; or intransitive, as lyij* p~ij a powerful wind.
Rem. Exceptions are to be found in either case ; as
7(J ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 298
Sj^^fc. &U*)t t±k this way of acting %s praiseworthy, and on
the other hand C^>5 A^1 ***J ^e mercV °f G°d ?s n'J"r-
(c) Similar peculiarities are to be remarked in certain others.
Note. Adjectives of form Jj*il when comparative are of
common gender.
Rem. b. Adjectives applicable to females only do not usually
form a feminine, as JM? C-JI thou (fem.) art divorced because
a wife cannot say J^U» wJl.
298. Nouns have (like verbs, see § 81) three numbers, the
singular, dual, and plural.
299. A dual is formed by adding o' — to the singular after
elision of the final vowel or tanwin ; as js*~j sea ^!ja^, a*1 a
nation O^-*'*
Rem. b. If the singular ends in quiescent ^, or 1 which was
^ , the original letter may be restored ; as La* a staff ob-^^ •
Rem. e. If the third radical has been elided before 3 in the
singular, it is not restored ; thus, ax) a language for 5$*) makes
OteW.
300. There are two kinds of plurals.
(a) That which, having only a single form, is called pluralis
sanus, the sound or perfect plural.
(b) That which, having various forms, is called pluralis
fractus, the broken plural; being more or less altered from the
singular.
§301] A GRAMMAR. 77
301. The sound plural of masculine nouns is formed by
adding ^ _i_ to the singular (see § 308), as jA\i a conqueror
^jjklS, juU a worshipper 03^^- The sound plural of
feminine nouns is formed by writing Ot ^- for 5 ^_ when they
have that termination in the singular, or when without it by
9 9" - * 0 * <■ * 9' * -» 9 s * *
adding Ot _^_ ; as 4,i„„o> a foora OU-~»., S^j a /rw/£ Olj^S,
*~j» gro^d w>UJ», CA"*-*J rt* month of ramaddn oULcloj.
Rem. a. If the singular ends in 'alif maqcurafe (see § 7,
rem. £>) with or without tanwln (see § 245), as ^k-A* c^os^w
9 " 0 J , ol J sOi
for ^^ilautfuo, ^Xftl higher, highest for ^Ul ; or in kasrafe with
tanwin (see § 167, 6 ii), as ^ blind for ^^c, jIa* one who
invents lies for i^Ia*, J*-0 devout (see § 148) for .jii* ; or in
quiescent ^ preceded by kasrati (see § 314, rem. 6), as ^^o-*)! the
blind (man) for ^5**^ : then § 166 b must be obeyed in the
forming of the plurals. Thus,
Nominative
«. O * * 0 J
, 0 * ol
for
0 J * <■ 0 J
X J X
Oblique
o*-©*
for
+ ** 0 J
o***^
The singular of ^^0*31 illustrates § 167 a (ii) in changing from
l^ — iy to ^£ — 1, and the plural differs nothing from that of
+s> see § 314, rem. a. Of feminines we may note ^~a& angry
' £~Li, (j>I#f the greatest Ob$3l (see § 303 b).
Hem. b. Feminine substantives with sukun to the middle
78 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 302
radical may undergo change ; as ^oj\ earth O'^jt, aj^S a
village ^^ij*-
Rem. c. A final radical dropped as in § 212 c must reappear;
thus V^<e prayer Ol^lo, SUJa«a* (feminine of ^aJa*bo) chosen
<i **• 0 J
oUaIxao (see § 294, rem. a).
Rem. d. A final radical dropped before 5 _£_ sometimes
reappears, as <U~> a year Ot^-w and Oly^ ; but &U a hundred
for 3uLo makes OlU (see § 325, rem. a).
5" • *
Rem. e. We have mentioned in § 294, rem. a Sj*-* heaven
which makes Ol^U-* and Ol^*~> (see § 6, rem. a).
302. The sound plural masculine is formed from : —
(a) Certain diminutives and proper names.
(b) Deverbal adjectives which form their feminines by adding
5 _r_, as Jlo erring sj$l\*a.
(c) Adjectives of form Jjtit which are elatives, as j£=>\
more or most numerous Oju^' : also the corroboratives of Jib
J , 0 i , / J/ 0$
viz. £*»-t all etc. making ^yto^-1 etc. (see § 539, rem. a).
5 ~
(d) The relative adjectives (see § 249) as ^jj^ (irregularly
from ^ju a desert) a badawi <J>!>VJ badawin (bedouins). This
termination is often shortened to <j£ J •
(0) A few words, among which are ^A a son (for ^l>) O^^j,
^aj\ earth Oy°j^ ^9^* one of the four classes of created beings
ijjiJlft (see § 191, rem. a), £ owner (see § 340, rem. c), etc.
Rem. a. It must be specially noted that adjectives have
the sound plural masculine only when joined to substantives,
expressed or understood, denoting rational creatures.
§304] A GRAMMAR. 79
Rem. b. From substantives and adjectives that have the
sound plural masculine there may be formed a broken plural, ,
especially from adjectives used substantively.
Rem. c. Certain numerals given in § 323 have the form of
sound plural masculine.
Rem. d. Some feminine nouns in 3 ,*_, especially those from
which the final radical («, j, or ^) has been elided, form a
sound plural masculine, the termination 3 _^_ disappearing ; as
<tiw a year \jy~>, oblique case Os*~>>
303. The sound plural feminine is formed from : —
9* " 9 * '
(a) All nouns ending in 5 _t_, as aJUj message O^Ly,
ajI a sign w>bt.
Rem. Some grammarians express this rule less comprehen-
sively.
(b) Feminine adjectives, the masculine gender of which has
• «* • r o o j
a sound plural, as OL«|4 believing (women) from 0-*>*-
(c) Names of the letters and months, as well as certain
other nouns.
304. The following are forms of broken plural, from triliteral
roots, numbered as in the Grammar of Professor Wright.
9 * 9 * »J 9tt>i 9&J 9*>
J~*i 25. c/*** 19. lM 13. J*i 7. jii 1.
9, J »
AJ5xi 26.
&Jd 20.
9 'Ol
JU3I 14.
9 Si j
JUi 8.
J*i 2.
&UJ 27.
r)Uil 21.
0/ at
a*st 15.
iixi 9.
0 J 3
Jxi 3.
ji3 28.
J& 22.
J^V 16.
iiii 10.
Jii 4.
Jii 29.
Jlii 23.
J5U3r 17.
ii*5 n.
Jlil 5.
^24.
O^aU 18.
*
9'0
4JL*3 12.
0 J J
Jyti 6.
80 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 304
In the next table an example of, at least, one noun (substantive
or adjective) appears to each plural, but space forbids us to
attempt illustrating each singular form.
O , j 9 - 0 J * 0 J 0- 0 - «s 0
1. Jxi plural of 2dxi ^Xixi iUi iUi as
til 9 - i 9* J 9 - J 5-0 J 9 * J
i«l a nation- j**\, *j$*e aformji«a, <*J**s*> a sentence J*»».
2. Jii plural of jiil $*S J*U3 JUi JUI J*U as
J "0i 9 9 Oj
i^a-ot white j^uo (for ^auj).
9JJ 9 s* 9* 5 -J 9 - 9* - 9 »' 90* 9**
3. Jjii plural of JUi JUi JUi J-ou *J**i J^** J** J***
9- - - 9 - OJ- 5 -
&Ui Jj»i J*3 J^li as
- ^
9- 9JJ9J- 9 »»
w>u£» a &00A; v~^*> J^~y a message, messenger, apostle J~>>
Rem. In nearly all cases the form Jj*i is admissible, as
• ~ * 9 OJ
j^j a herald jJL*t.
4. J*i plural of ajjii aJjw aJUi as
i^»» a maxim j&*. .
90- 90 0 * J 9-0- 9-0 Q-OJ 9-- 9---
5. JUi plural of Jj«i Jj»3 Jj*i 4-Ui aJU* aJUi Jxi aJUi
• J' 9-J -OJ 9 -0- 9 -«J J -0- 9*9*
J*i Jxi j-U3 O^** O*^ O*^ J*** J*^ as
•~jj a wzwtf 9-s»j, J*». a mountain JU*., 5j^ a fruit jl^,
9 J - 5 - 9- 9-
Jjfc.j a waw JU*>, Jwjaj ^ JU5.
^ - , o£-o
Rem. *l~J is plural of 3tj-«l a woman (see § 305, rem. e).
9 •» •> 5 0- 90 9 0 J 5 - - «- r. - 0 - 5-0 9 * 0 J
6. J>*3 plural of Jj»i Jjii Jxi J*i Jxi aJjm iUi aJU*
9- - - 9 -
SJjfci Jsli as
90- 5 J J 9 6- 9 .» 0 0 .. 5 ->
j^-o 6/r#wtf jjJ^, u-»l; ^tm^ cr'ii)' lt^*" aw ornament ^JL».
§ 304] A GRAMMAR. 81
9 119 0, 91190, 911
(for ^J y^O, ^o*»i star j>}**J, ^-Ji a copper coin ^jXi,
9 0/ • 1 1 it /
JS^t foiin, figure J^££», «^j^ /<tfter (of the alphabet),
9*1 ••' 9 .».» 5 / / 9 J .»
particle ^j**, u~*» ^w/, #?(/ ^n^ij, j£> j a male j^>3 ,
j^a-U prostrate >$»•
7. J** plural of J*U iUli as
• * 9 a i 9 * « Si
*>.a-Uf prostrate j^.»>, c>U> manifest c^.
odi o ,
8. JUi plural of J^li as
• * 9 a i
*jJU» s^^r w>^U».
9/// 9,9,
9. 4JL*5 plural of J^li J~*i as
• i - . . £
ja.u» magician o/a*w.
10. iJUi plural of J^U as
" 0 , 9,1 9 , , J
^15 (for ^^^5) a judge 3l«as (for «u-a3).
9 , , 9 0 1 9 0, 9 0
11. iUi plural of J** J*i Ja* as
^ arc op^ »>j.9.
0,0 90, 9,, 9 ,, 9,19 *
12. 31x3 plural of J*i J*s Jlxs J bo J-ai as
o £ 9 , i o,t>
»-t (for ^.1) a brother *£*»}•
ojt£ it/ 9 x / 40 0 0 } 0 - , ,
13. JjoI plural of Jjw J*i Jjti J*i 4.U3 and some other
feminine quadriliterals, as
0 0, 0,0.00, t 9 iol 9,
^-Ju soul, self v^Jut, j^Ji « copper coin ^/-Ait, ju (for
40/ of 4jo£ ■. 0 «J0(
U?ju) ^awd jul (for l5J^0> J*fJ ty* f00* J^j'-
GR. 6
ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 304
14. Jliil plural of J^b J*** and triliterals of all forms, as
o o j o ' o- oo^
\Jji> uppermost part, forelock, cock's comb ^j*\, jv> rimr
5 *0. 9 oe- 9 ^i- *x^ t 9 * Oi 90 °"\
jlyjl, oUI thousand w5^l, ^o ?<&>/ ^U-ot, ^1 (for ^yj)
^*£ 90 go j -■ - o £ o ' ^ 9 * oi
«on ftjl, ^— »l (for $*-*) wawe S^-©-^, J^o* wor& JU^t,
• « • *o£ 2j g^o£ 90* o ' e £
Jsu~> tfnfo J»L*t, J£ /etfter J!}Ui, J£* foi-m, figure Jl££t,
o • o£ g«/
jjj a cA*7<i J^jt, «rj>j spouse ^-'jj', Jt~© WcAes Jl>-«t,
9 0s 9 *oi 90* 9 5£ 0 '»£. « "
^y ta£& p-l*^j ^>J day j&A (for ^©l^jij, ^^^lo a com-
9 * oi
panion w>U~ol.
Rem. There are a few other singulars which take this plural,
| J« ~ , dl ** oi **oi
as>*fc fos^'fe *lj^l ; but *lwl (not *L£I) is the plural
0 *
of lip* thing.
9* Oi 9**9*
15. iUi! plural of JU* JUi and other quadriliterals, also
9 0* so 9 o J 9 * * 9 * J
Jxi Jx3 J*i Jai J*i as
91 7 *' "* /p 9' eg .»' 9^ 0* » ^ *
<dt a god a^JI (for V'!), *^J receptacle <Lejt, w>b»-
9 x o £
answer t complement aj»>».I.
16. J*t>* plural of jib J*li aisli rvJLsli as
• ' J * * Q * *
%-j\J follower, appositive £■->'>■?, 4 ; ^L»> female dweller
j * *
17. JjUi plural of some feminine quadriliterals, with or without
» in addition, as
iij^-o a city o^***> *Z~im.foul woU*., *^ij& noble J^'^.
§304] A GRAMMAR. 83
• * 0 9 0 t 9* - 9 * t 9 , J 9 ' ' <i - 90 * 9 0
18. O^*^ plural of J*i J*i J*i JUi Jlxi JUi J*3 Jjo
9 * 9 J' 90*J 0^0, j 9 * '' 9 *
J*xi Jjxi J.*** 4»L*d O^*** Jf U as
9 J 9 ' 9 I 9 ft 9*0
0^». a fish O^s*'* ^' (f°r $*»*) a brother- ol»M-
9 *0l 90* 90 9** 9 * i 9 ' 9 * 9 x
19. O^** Plural of Jxi J*i Jai Jlxi JUs J**j JL*Li
Jjtit as
0 - - 0 - 0 J J ,6t # «• 9*0)
j&h a male ,jtj.£»3, t^ol white O*-^ (f°r O^3^)
9 * J J- Ot
opposed to &hj~> (plural of >y*\) blacks.
20. £& plural of J-** J*li as
4-Ju» /(*?/ ilyi^, ^Ic scholar l\+Ss>.
21. J$*Sl plural of J**3 as
^ for l^jj (see § 17 6, rem. b) a prophet lL-Jl.
^»^ 9 * 0^9^ J/»C J *0,
22. ^^Ui plural of J**i J*i J*U J*il O^** as
^f 0^ x0o <• O 9*0 9* O 9**0*
(for wo^o) efe«J ^3*©
23. JU* plural of tyxi .JUi .-Ui 5*^*5 iJL«i 5 Jlxi as
^Jy* a legal opinion jUi.
Rem. For declension see §§ 312 and 314, rem. b.
24. ^Jli* plural of *$bU ,^1** ^^ii* ^^li* lliii ^<}U JLjJ
9 ^ «J^9^ * 9* * * 9* * 9* * i %* *
Ja3 Jjti aJL*i dJlxi ijUi aJUi iUli as
* * * *
{J}Z& a legal opinion {£$&, ajjIj a earner, a class in school
C\jj (for ^tjti as m § 179» rem- <*)•
25. JgJ plural of Jii Jii jlii J*tf as .
jU*. aw ass j-^*--
G-2
84 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 305
26. 4j$»J plural of Jii Jxi as
to* t/ JJ
Jju a husband 2Jyu.
27. aJIxj plural of J** J** J*li as
w*».t^ a companion ajU*-o (also «ula*-o).
28. Jx* plural of *i*5 &!** Jsli as
<ut (for i»^t) «gw> miracle, message, verse ^£\ (for l£j0-
9(/ 9 «
29. J*3 plural of Jsli as
f * 9 0'
w**.Le a companion *-■■■*» «o.
Rem. a. These rules are not without exception nor are they
by any means exhaustive.
Rem. c. Beside jL* br. pi. 5, jus s/aw has fourteen other
broken plurals. When a singular has more than one meaning
9 .» X
and several plurals, there may be a correspondence : thus aaJL^
a caliph usually follows No. 20 iUU. caliphs, but <UJU. successor,
J "' * *
deputy makes No. 17 U&y^. which by rule is restricted to
feminines. There are four meanings to ,>** beside its being the
letter's name, and there are four plurals (three broken and a pi.
of pl. Otusl) of which No. 13 o**' signifies eyes and fountains.
A word which takes the sound plural may have also one or more
broken plurals.
305. The following are forms of broken plural from singular
nouns with four or more consonants.
1. JJ'ow plural of quadriliterals, with or without S in addition,
(a) whose four consonants are radical, and (b) formed
from triliteral roots by prefixing I O or j» \ as
§ 306] A GRAMMAR. 85
cjuu3 a frog * jU*£, JjJL* the east J^U**, w>j** ^ west
w>jIjU, SjU* candlestick, minaret j^o and jjU* (compare
§ 240) vulg. j-»U«, jjucuo source jjl^-e, ^X« scfoo/ wJl£«.
2. J^-JUi plural of quinqueliterals, with or without S in addition,
of which the penult is a letter of prolongation ; as
* J*/ 3**9 JO- J - .- 3 0 J
w>y&* written ^Jl^, O.**^0 accursed O^*^, ^~>j^> a
cfe'r ^jwlj^, OliU (see § 226) c~3t>«.
3. iJUUi plural of many relative adjectives (see § 249) and other
nouns with four or more letters ; as
3 O ' «' ' " J O * O 9* * * SCO/ 9 * -
i^jjL* a M?or ajjU*, 0>*>* Pharaoh i^tj.*, ^*}U («4UU)
Rem. 0. A few nouns have anomalous plurals, as St^ot a woman
(see §304, No. 5 rem.) *l~J, o^— ^ a human being ^01 ; this we
may abbreviate to ^U especially with the article, thus ^Ut,
much as <U^M has become aXJI.
306. We have noted the restriction (§ 302, rem. a) that mas-
culine sound plurals can only be used of rational beings : they
are said by grammarians to mean several individuals ; whereas
the broken plural is by nature a collective and feminine in gender,
being generally represented by the feminine singular pronoun ;
* O J ' sSC-3 <0 -0' -
thus UJ^J r-^ty I ^5* UjSfr w<? /^ve written upon the tablets,
so take them.
Rem. Beside broken plurals there are the two sorts of col-
lectives which have been mentioned in § 292 a and b :
86 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 307
(a) generic nouns (^^aJt l\+~t\) which form nomina unitatis
(see §246); and
* , 0 £
(6) nouns to which attaches the idea of collectiveness (ll*~>\
«-o^Jt or f.*aJI «W*' likenesses of the plural) and which do not
V , O ii 00,
form nomina unitatis ; as iot a section of a nation, j>£ a people,
, to, oil • ,o>o *
etc , thus Ol^vi *•*' -^3** ' O-* °f ^ people there is a section
who direct (not which directs) others.
Oil
Note. As nomen verbi *U1 appears in § 198, No. 12, and as
0,1
singular of j^\ in § 304, No. 1. Beside being nomen verbi (§ 198,
0 ,,
No. 25), OlJ with the signification of plants is a collective, of
sort (a) though without nomen unitatis, and makes a plural OUlJ.
307. In case of nouns which have only one plural there can
be no difficulty of selection ; but, while the rest are called plurals
of abundance, those broken plurals in § 304 numbered 12, 13, 14
and 15 as well as the sound plurals, are called plurals of paucity,
being used when the objects denoted are ten or less. Thus
fit tSt *** ••'
^Ct 2£L> six days br. pi. 14 (for^ot^jt) of>^» a day.
308. In Arabic there are three cases, Nominative, Dependent
and Accusative, each with its case-ending or sign : we shall
however speak of the Oblique case when one and the same sign
indicates both Dependent and Accusative. The following tables
show how to decline undefined nouns which are not in construct
O 0 , 0,0,
state (see § 313) by means of ^^Ji a copper coin, aJU a night,
a • A OO, ,0 J . * ^ ^
stars (br. pi. 6 of^^i), ^)l£U two dominions,
■ t
two boons, \J)JJ\**. dwellers, ^^ good things, s>~*.l better,
§308]
A GRAMMAR.
87
iUuj (fem.) white, kf\^» followers (br. pi. 16 of £>^)- Nouns
ending with 3, whether broken plural or singular, mark the
accusative differently (see § 8, rem. a) from other triptotes, i.e.
nouns with three case-endings.
Triptote or First Declension.
Masc. sing.
Fem. sing.
Broken pi.
Nominative .
9 ft'
9+0*
9 J J
Dependent
0*
, . ailJ .
J J
Accusative
Dual.
Nominative
Oblique
Masculine
Feminine
. . . t^)l£Le . . .
. . . 0-+&* • . .
Sound Plural.
Masculine
• • • 0>*^ • • ■
. . . &jr± . . .
Except in the sound plural (see § 302) it makes no difference
whether the noun be adjective or otherwise; and so with diptotes,
i.e. nouns with not more than two case-endings.
Diptote or Second Declension.
Nominative
Oblique
Feminine
9 '«•<•
oL*l»
Nominative
Oblique
Masc. sing.
J , 0 i
I |
•J
Fem. sing.
*^-a*>
Broken pi.
88 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 309
In the dual diptotes and triptotes are alike, thus Nom. jjtu*»J,
Obi. i>J-l».t and so in the sound plural.
Note. For declension of jl^». see § 312.
Rem. b. No colloquial dialect of Arabic employs case-endings
regularly; duals are rare, and in sound plurals only the oblique
case is used.
309. We call nouns diptote when ending in _j_, ^ ^_, or -j-:
such are the following.
(a) Broken plurals in § 304 numbered 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23
and 24 ; also those in § 305 numbered 1 and 2 ; beside a few
others.
(b) Various nouns, more especially adjectives such as are
found in § 232, Nos. 13 and 16, also in §§ 234, 295 and 296 ;
beside others.
(c) Many proper names, as a£© Mecca ; especially if foreign
to Arabic, as J-ot^wl Israel, *jl\) David, 0$*j* Pharaoh,
Olj* Aaron, oL^ Joseph, j*>\ Adam, c*-*<Wt Eblis, j*aa Egypt.
Exceptional are such as consist of three letters, the second of
which has sukun or is a letter of prolongation, thus --y Noah.
Rem. e. There are said to be nine reasons why a noun is
debarred from taking tanwin.
310. Nouns ending in I _*_ or ^ _£_ (for ^ ^_ or ^£ ^_ see
§§ 212 b and 245) have the same form in all three cases ; thus
for ye*, ya* or \ya& we write Lot a stick
* * j * j a * j t j
„ i£jub, l£**a » ^J*** m l^*** guidance
Similarly we leave unchanged nouns ending in ^ _x_ (see § 309)
such as ^^--a* (fem.) angry, ^j>\ nearer, ^y*y* Moses,
§313] A GRAMMAR. 89
311. With nouns ending in — (for ^ — , {£— or u> -^- see
§ 167 b (ii) and § 369, Table 18) it is somewhat different, for we
write
Lsb a preacher as the Accusative of ©b i.e. 3^b
* ^ * 9 '
LiO negative „ w?0 „ ,-sU
$ * b » , 0 J 9 *0 »
bjux* transgressor „ jux* „l^*^**-°
\j*>J\ hands „ jut „ v^jul (br.pl. 13)
following in this the analogy of § 166 a.
312. There are however certain broken plurals ending with
-j- which is held to represent l£ — . They do not follow either
of the last two rules ; thus 3-jU. a girl has br. pi. 16 jl>*. in the
Nominative and Dependent, but l£>1*^- in the Accusative ; so
also *1j»-i* a <&?S0r£ has br. pi. 23 Nom. and Dep. jU^, but
Accusative \jj\*».^.
313. Undefined nouns become defined : 1. by prefixing the
article Jt ^ ; 2. (a) by adding a defined noun in the dependent
case, or (b) by adding a pronominal suffix. While remaining
undefined a noun may be put in construct state (see § 475) by
the addition of an undefined noun in dependent case.
Rem. Proper names are in themselves defined, as are the
pronouns yk he etc. and words like ti this, that (see §§ 340 et seq.).
J *o to*
Note. A noun cannot have two determinatives; thus \J\jt>*$\
* o* i - ti-
the uppermost parts and w;U*.*JI wJ'j^l the uppermost parts of
the partition.
90 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 314
314. When a noun is denned by the article, the following
cases arise. *
(a) If it be triptote it loses the tan win j thus
Nominative . . JSti'\ . . aiJji . . *fiyt~&
Dependent . . j^JLiJt . . iUUI . . ^a. k )\
Accusative . . u~.U)1 . . ^tJJt . . ^a^Jt
Rem. From the accusative final I has disappeared along with
tanwln : so also from words like l£J^' defined ace. of Jul.
(b) If diptote it becomes triptote ; thus
Nominative . ,>~*.^)l . . ^LiuJt . . fjt^JI
Dependent . £y~j*sy\ . . e^-a-JI . . ^^
* * 6 f 9/ i» * Of -6* * *Si*
Accusative . ij*~*~y\ . . sta.JI . . *jt>^l
(c) If sound plural feminine it loses tan win; thus
Nominative . oL-JaJt Oblique . oLJaJI
Rem. a. Prefixing the article causes no change in the dual
or sound plural masculine.
Rem. b. From the termination -j- tanwin is lost and ±£
reappears, as ^^SJ^JI the thrower from J^Lc, ^oJdl the blind (man)
*■ oio* oi
from^, l£**^ the hands from jul.
S 0
Note. Nouns ending in I _*_ or ^ _£_ (for ^ ^_ or ^ _^_ see
' * 0* «- JO'
§ 310) merely lose the tanwin, as load), ^J^Jt.
315. The following cases arise when a noun is in construct
state, i.e. when it is w-JLa* annexed' to a noun in the dependent
case. "
§ 316] A GRAMMAR. 91
(a) We decline singulars and broken plurals as if denned by
the article ; thus
0 io^o J 00
the seekers * \u+ , ,
of knowledge. \Uttt 7_
Ace. j^\ wO^! u^j^t Jj\^~*
0 0* J it
Nom.^JUJt ^>y±>
Dep. Jbffl w>^U*
the eastern
parts of the
earth.
3,
Note. As to J£> all see § 482.
Rem. a. Certain defective substantives (see § 191, Note)
lengthen their final vowel after rejecting tanwln ; thus
Norn. yi>.\ brother for «ut, Dep. ^^t for ^.t, Ace. U.I for a.\.
(6) The dual loses <J fr°m its termination, as
s*JULeJt ljj$ the two children of the king for o^-b>
+ O * 0 00 + 0*
A^*'J <£**i 0*4 between the two hands of {i.e. before) his mercy
' ' * , *
for CHi^i-
(c) The sound plural masculine loses o from its termination,
as
J^SI^wl ^-iJ J^jt send the sons of Israel for sj^jj .
316. When the noun is defined by a pronominal suffix the
following cases arise.
(a) Triptotes and feminine sound plurals lose tanwln, duals
and masculine sound plurals the termination O or O i thus
U«xj her hand from ju, aLa* m$ stick from Lop, UjUJI^ our
%**&** 0% 00
words from Ol^JL£», ^ju my two hands Aj-^i thy two hands from
^>>ju, »^*JL> the (dtahmrs of it from ^xJU.
92 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§317
Note. In the Nominative and Dependent we have tujut our
" «► t>l t at
hands and in the Accusative UjJut from jut Ace. bjul.
(b) The singulars, broken plurals, and feminine sound plurals
lose their final vowel before l£— of me, my (see § 317) ; thus
^jjj my Lord from w>j, ^U*' my works from JU*1, j.^^
my gardens from OU.. Having lost its case-endings the noun
becomes, so to speak, indeclinable.
(c) When a noun ends in 3 we use the original form, viz. O ;
thus *5JUy3l thy gods from a^JI.
9 '
(d) When a noun ends in hamzarl, the 'imad (iU^) support
(see § 16) is subject to change ; thus from *U we have Nom.
1>$LJ our women, Dep. U5UJ, Acc. U*LJ, and from *^j*~c we
have I)>.a~o £% coming, Dep. ^£»*».>o, Acc. ^U*^* (see § 17 6).
Rem. As regards words referred to in § 315, rem. a we must
note, Nom. d^*.l his brother, Dep. <**».t, Acc. dU.1 ; but ^i.1 my
brother in all three cases.
317. The pronominal suffixes which express the .dependent
are similar to those given in § 185 except that ^£ — of me, my
* J J 0 "
takes the place of ^ ; thus U^te* the guarding of them both.
Rem. a. Beside ^yt* along with me we have by reverting to
the older form ^jk* (see § 20 b). When attached to a word
O 0
ending with 1_^, ^4^-, l£— » L$— > j-±-or ^_^_ the suffix l<—
becomes ^, as i^-ac m# s£/c& ; and in most cases, together with
the final letter, it becomes ij?, as ^JU upon me (see § 358, rem. a).
« s -
On £-1 etc. see § 310, rem.
§320]
A GRAMMAR.
93
Rem. b. Like ^ , we find ^ — especially in the vocative,
shortened to —; thus^oy L» 0 my people for ^yi, vj {Q)my
Lord for ^j (see § 438 a, rem. b).
Rem. c. Changes occur similar to those in § 185, rem. b ; thus
ajSW by the permission of him, v*vjj!»U to the beholders of them,
>ffVJLc upon them, <uju ,j-o between his two hands.
318.
The
cardinal numbers from one to ten are :
Fern.
Masc.
Fern.
Masc.
If
0 0^
1
i$*l\ . . .
s ,1
9
1
6 0,
. oC5 8
*/r • • •
out
2
2' *
AX>.J
*-J 9
Ifctf . . .
3
5>U
j*ls 10
A*Jjl . . .
9.»*
4
Rem. a. For JLJ3 and words like it see § 6, rem. a. The
5
radical letters of Cw are ^ ju* (see § 328, rem. c).
319. The cardinal numbers from 3 to 10 take the feminine
form, when the objects numbered are of the masculine gender ;
and conversely, the masculine form, when the objects numbered
t 9 t$ j5 t ** jo*
are feminine : as^»bl Aw six days, Obt «-w seven verses.
320. Excepting the duals 0^'> and o^1 or 0^» the
cardinal numbers from 1 to 10 are triptote ; oW standing for
,JU3 (see § 311) Accusative UU5.
M
ELEMENTARY ARABIC :
[§321
321. Cardinal numbers from 3 to 10 are substantives : either
(a) they follow the objects numbered and stand in apposition, as
&*& J^*-j of three men i.e. of men, a triad ; or (6) they are
followed by a plural noun in the dependent case, as >»bl 2lL*
six days. For the multiples of 100 see § 325 and § 496, rem. a.
Rem. When these numerals take the article they lose tanwin,
as also when in construct state or defined by a pronominal suffix;
while O^ nas Nom. and Dep. ^Uj Ace. ^W-
322. The cardinal numbers from eleven to nineteen are :
Fem.
Masc.
Fem.
Masc.
x x 0 x x 0 x
xxx x x O x
jJls> A...0a. 15
x- «x x 0
XXX XX £
11
x x 0 x w
xx 0 x x 0 x
tmft <dw lb
xxx x x 0 x
jJi£. AJUw 17
XX 0 x xxO
xx 6 x xO f
xxx xO
12
,x 0 x x ' x
jlp aiui 18
XX 0 X x XX
Jii a3^u
13
xx 0 0 x 0
xxx x x 0
j*i£ rt,y.»J 19
xx 0 x xxOg
j-i* **jjt
14
Rem. a. We find IjLs. ^O and other forms, for ij2s> ^Uj.
Rem. b. These cardinal numbers are followed by the objects
numbered in the accusative singular (see § 444 e, rem. b).
Rem. c. These numerals may be called indeclinable, except
x * 0 + 0 x* • 0 • x- t? •• o
j-Ip UJI and Sj-^c (UJ) lljl which have an oblique case
xxx OxO ' x 0 x OxO O xxO
yLs. ^jj\ and 5^ {j^JfS) ^5^'-
Rem. <#. Since long ago these compound numerals suffered
contraction into one word, and are further corrupted in colloquial
dialects.
§ 328] A GRAMMAR. 95
323. The cardinal numbers from twenty to ninety are :
OsA'J 80 0*~* 60 O**0 ' ^O 6i>% 20
^^Ll5 90 Oy^ ™ <J>X*. 50 OjH5 30
Rem. a. For 0>^ an(* 0>^ see § 6, rem. a.
Rem. 6. While of common gender these numerals are declined
as masculine sound plurals, taking an oblique case in ^ -?- ;
, 0 # + < ' 'Of-
thus siHj^i 0&y^> 0**o'> etc. They are substantives and
usually take after them the objects numbered in the accusative
singular (see § 499).
324. Numerals compounded of units and tens require ^ and
' j o * *• go
between the unit and the ten; thus Nom. o^-*-**^ £~*> n^ne
* 0 * * 0 ' 6 s , 1 d
and fifty, fifty nine, Dep. ^j.*.*-**.} *~J, Ace. Ov*±$ \*~3.
* V_ ■» * *
325. The multiples of £5U one hundred are as follows :
200 O^, 300 a5U &#, 400 a5U ijjf, etc.
' ' * ' 9 + %m
f« 9-
Rem. a. For a5U we may write &U and (see § 17 b, rem. b)
*' ' *
a**, which last represents the usual pronunciation. There are
other plurals beside the one mentioned in § 301, rem. d.
326. The multiples of \Jd\ one thousand are as follows :
2000 oUJt, 3000 kJtjftiSrfS, 4000 wi^7ii£f, etc.
Rem. There are other plurals of J*i I beside o^T.
328. The ordinal numbers are adjectives ; thus, masc. J^l
fern. 1*^^)1 ^A« first, masc. ,jtf fern. 4-Jtf second, masc. cJtf
2' " 9 ^ 9* ^
fern. *3tf J^'re?, masc. *^lj fern, ix^tj fourth, etc.
96 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 340
*S io*
Rem. a. The radical letters of J^t (see § 295, rem. b) and
^J^ (for ^Jj^ or ^(jpt) are Jjl or J1_j. These words have
plurals, and will be further treated in § 486, rem. a, and § 493.
Rem. c. From masc. tj-oL> fern. a*oL> sixth we can obtain
s
the radical letters of ww given in § 318, rem. a, as also from
the fraction ^j** a sixth part.
340. The simple demonstrative pronoun is 13 this, that, which
in course of declension takes many forms, the commonest plural
*i ~*l
being, masc. ^J\ fern. g^l these, those.
Rem. £. Closely connected by origin with 13 is ^3 possessor,
which is also declined, making in the singular feminine Nom.
ol3 Dep. Ol3 Ace. Ol3, none of which is found except in
construct state (see § 475).
Rem. d. By prefixing J) like to 13 we get \j& thus, so and
so, see § 362 bb.
341. From the simple demonstrative pronoun compounds,
which admit of declension, are formed (a) by appending J) J
Ci» JJ=> or ,ji» either (i) alone, or (ii) with J interposed ; also
(b) by prefixing U.
a (i) -i) 13 that is used whatever the sex or number of persons
addressed; but we may say to a woman i)l3, to two persons
lj=>(±, etc. The plurals J)y\ and itf^l and jfe^jt, with short
first syllable, tliose are of common gender.
* * * i
(ii) Similarly »iUl3 or «iAJ3 that is used in conjunction with
§ 345] A GRAMMAR. 97
pronominal suffixes of the second person ; thus ^&3 ^ therein
0 you.
Rem. By prefixing »£) like to *iWi we get *£JJJ^ w» like
manner, so, see § 463.
b. The particle U (which is also an interjection, see § 368)
we may prefix to 13 and write IjJb this ; which word has a
singular feminine ojJk, and as one of its plurals g^JlA or g*^*
these of common gender.
Of
345. We find in Arabic only one article, viz. Jl, which is
called the instrument of definition and always written in con-
junction with the following word; thus ^j'j.3 a reading o!/*^
the reading, the Cordn.
Rem. a. The article is also called ^*jj>*2 1 j**$ ('alif being
merely prosthetic, see § 19, rem. c) the lam of definition, aud it
has two uses :
(i) jiyxJ I j^y the article of familiarity when its presence
implies that the word, to which it is attached, expresses a thing
or person known to the hearer; thus u^;^' 0>Lrt they shall
inherit the earth, i.e. the earth which we know :
(ii) o~-i»*J I j>*$ the generic article, not implying that the
word, to which it is prefixed, expresses an individual person or
thing ; in this case it shows the genus by indicating one member
of a class ; thus ^ -x-J I dLc^J his mother shall have a sixth,
-> j - -
tiU...,D»)l j^i\mf. tjl whenever a boon comes to them.
Note. Arabic and some other languages are more regular
than English in respect of the generic article, for one says " Man
GR. 7
98 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 346
is mortal" but "The horse is a quadruped," whereas in these
cases we must write ^UJ^l Vhomme and ^r*/*)! le cheval (see
§ 527).
346. Among the conjunctive pronouns are masc. ^JJI fem.
Si, 0 * *
\J3 1 who, which, that ; ,>* he who, she who, whoever ; U that
which, whatever. They are also called relative pronouns and,
with exception of l5^> may De interrogative (see § 351).
347. As may be found in § 20 b, initial Jl of {£jt\ represents
the article, to which is joined J (see § 341 a ii) and 13 or j3
(see § 340). Of the many forms taken in declension we must,
beside ^31 the feminine singular, mention the masculine plural
,j-jJJi. When used adjectivally these words refer to a definite
substantive with which they agree in gender, number, and case ;
thus <uU»* ^JJi aJJI God who created it, 1^*3 U£=»jL» ^\ u^NI
the land which We blessed : when used substantively however
they have the meaning of <j-° or ^> thus CfcM^ USj^l We
drowned tJwse who.
j St *
Rem. The nominatives must originally have been jJJJt and
* J Si *
Oj J^J ' but in place of these words the oblique case is always
used (see § 308, rem. b) and a shortened form.
348. The conjunctive pronouns ^>« and U are indeclinable :
° ++ " j
the former refers to beings endowed with reason, as ^>«j ^yy
ax* Moses and those who (are) with him ; while the latter is used
of all other objects, as Jjw l©^ by reason of that which he has
done. Unlike ^ JJ I these words can never be used adjectivally.
§ 355] A GRAMMAR. 99
351. All conjunctive pronouns may be interrogative except
^JJI, thus C-JI jj-o who art thou? Jji* U what has he done?
see § 570.
Rem. The interrogative U is usually shortened to j* when
joined with a preposition, thus ^ why? i.e. because of what?
So also U^ the like of what ? becomes j£* how much ?
353*. The pronouns o-* an(^ & are sometimes indefinite. Of
iZi , 0 ' 0* ,
this sort is 2uj juo^J I U the ma, which introduces a clause equiva-
* O * 0x0
lent to a macdar (see §§ 488 and 514) ; thus sz£*. U jaj ^>o
* x Ox 0
after that thou earnest which is equivalent to <iA£*a~© juo ^«
after thy coming. We find the indefinite U in conditional clauses
(ij^llT U § 406), also in reference to time (ai^jjT U §§ 367 je?
and 407) ; when added to certain adverbs it gives them a
conditional and general signification, thus w~»- where \*£*j*.
* o£ //»t S Si I
wherever, &>\ where? l*Jw>t wherever. If appended to <jl, ,jl,
etc., it hinders their regimen (4Jl£) I U § 436, rem. d) ; attached
to a conjunction or preposition (SjuljJt U § 470, rem. /) it
usually does not ; and there are other uses for whicli it serves.
"* *
Note. Similar to the adverbs mentioned above is 1*^* (for
UU) whatever from U what.
354. The particles are of four sorts ; viz. prepositions,
adverbs, conjunctions, and interjections.
355. The prepositions are divided into separable, i.e. those
written as separate words, and inseparable, i.e. those which are
united in writing with the following word.
7—2
100 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 356
356. The inseparable prepositions consist of one consonant
with its vowel. They are : —
(a) w> by, by means of, by reason of, for tlie reason, in, on, with,
to, of, in exchange for, see § 456.
(<) J belonging to, for the use of, to, due to, in, for, of, see § 453.
(d) j by in swearing, see § 462.
Rem. a. Changes occur after w> similar to those in § 185,
rem. b, as aj, j^t ; see also § 20, rem. a.
Rem. b. Before a pronominal suffix the preposition J becomes
^ j/ O J '
J, as aJ, j^Q etc. ; except with ^£ — me when we have ^ .
Rem. c. Sometimes i) like is reckoned among prepositions :
it will be treated in § 463.
357. The separable prepositions are of two sorts : firstly,
those which have different terminations and are biliteral or tri-
literal ; secondly, those which are substantives in the accusative
singular and end in _^_, having lost tanwin on account of the
following noun (see § 478 b).
358. The separable prepositions of the first sort are : —
(a) ^l to, towards, until, see § 451.
(b) ^j^. till, up to, see § 452.
(c) ^ke> over, upon, against, to, for, on account of, concerning,
by means of, incumbent upon, see § 459.
(d) £>£> from, away from, of, see § 449.
(e) ^ in, into, over, among, upon, on, concerning, treating of,
see § 455.
(/) O*^ or iS^ with, beside, near.
§ 361] A GRAMMAR. 101
g) *-© or ** with, along with, see § 457.
(A) ,j-« of, to, fram, on, out of, see § 20 d and § 448.
J 0 J 0 J t
(i) JJ** or Xc from a certain time, since.
Rem. a. Before suffixes the final syllables of JJ, ^Jli, and
t^jJ are diphthongs ; thus ikJI to thee, UJls oyer w$. Changes
occur similar to those in § 185, rem. b; O-y-jJJ to them (fem.),
' * " " 5 »■
U^JLp over ^m both. With ^- w we have .J I £0 we etc.,
and ^ in case of ^ as ^ *->\z£s a letter relating to me (see
§ 317, rem. a).
Rem. b. In connection with ^— we double the <j of >j£>,
tj-o, and 0*^> *nus t^-* from me. The ^ of ^j* and ,>* is
assimilated in connection with ,>* or U, thus l*c \y£> they
turned disdainfully from that which for U {js> (see § 14 b, rem. b).
359. Separable prepositions of the second sort have been
described in § 357 and will be noticed in § 444 b. Among them
are jju after, ,j-o between, w*a*J under, otU. behind, <j>> below,
jLift beside, in the mind of, J>^3 above, over, J^ 6e/w*e of time
(see g§ 464 to 470).
360. The adverbs are of three sorts ; firstly, particles some
inseparable and some separable ; secondly, indeclinable substan-
tives ending in jl. ; thirdly, nouns in the accusative.
361. The inseparable adverbial particles are : —
(a) t, interrogative, see § 566.
Rem. When this I is followed by t we use ^ instead of I
102 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§362
t
M imatl (see § 16) to hamzarl and write the two thus ^1, as
0 0$+ '* Si J
Ijxh.^ U ,j3! shall there indeed be to us a reward?
, - a *
(fi) u* (abbreviation of \^y~> see § 364 e) prefixed to a verb in
the imperfect to express more emphatically its future
sense.
(c) J verily, surely, certainly (see § 590). As U^ ^JlL^s ,jJU
^LjjJJ^ ^AJ jj-u^J >»-jJ t Verily if thou removest from
us the plague, surely we will believe with thee, and we will
certainly send. This la is always affirmative, and of it
there are said to be five sorts.
362. Among the separable adverbial particles are :
(b) 3J and I3J behold ! lo ! Of these tej is followed only by a
nominal proposition (see § 513) and refers to the same
time as the preceding statement.
(e) *5t truly, see § 568.
(k) o' n°t, called a-iLJ \ <j t the negative }in, see § 558.
(m) sj\ verily precedes a noun in the accusative or one of the
pronominal suffixes given in § 185 ; but the 1st singular
Ci Si "Si Si
can be ^£\ or ^31 and the 1st plural Lit or Ut. In such
J c Si x5 J
case the suffix o may be O^ 1 j*+*° the pronoun of the
fact, not being needed to express the sentence's meaning,
thus aJJI Ul 4j| verily I am God (see § 367 g). By means
of o[ the subject may be introduced, upon which often fol-
lows a predicate with J (see § 361 c) as ^JU ^LJ t Jjs <j\
verily this (man) is a skilled magician. For government
by oj see § 436.
§362] A GRAMMAR. 103
(w) UJI only, see § 436, rem. d, and § 585.
(?) L$J W Vea ; used with an oath, as aXJ 1^ ^£t yes by God,
whence the vulgar l^jl and in Nubia J^jI for which at
Damascus >0ju ^£\ is said.
(s) ^>jt where I U-ij1 wherever, see § 353*.
('0 l^W yes, yea sometimes to be translated on the contrary, for
to a negative statement it gives contradiction. Compare
si in French.
(z) j£ is usually employed with the perfect (see §§ 402, 403 b)
to express more emphatically its past sense : when used
with the imperfect we render j>3 sometimes.
(bb) IJ^» thus (§ 340, rem. d) and >&)j£=> in like manner
(see § 341 a, rem.).
(dd) *$ not is used : —
(i) as negative of the future and of the indefinite present,
see §§ 408 e, rem. a, 439, 555, and 584 a ;
(ii) as representative of the other negatives after ^ and,
see §§ 482 d rem., 560, and 580 ;
(iii) as negative of the jussive, see §§ 417 b and 420.
it I 0 I *
(ee) ^>£J, sj£, often with ^ prefixed but, yet (see § 584 b). We
place ^>0 only before nouns and pronominal suffixes in
the accusative case (see § 436). With the 1st person we
may write ^j&, U£J as well as ^j*^, U;£J.
(•#*) J*) w<tf is used solely with the jussive which is then perfect
in sense, see §§ 412 and 418.
104 ELEMENTARY ARABIC. [§363
0 t j j.
(gg) CJ not yet, joined to the jussive.
(Jih) &5not& contraction of o1 ^ (i-e- O1 \J& ^ U w^ not be
that) is followed by the subjunctive, see §§ 411, 415 a i,
and 556.
(kk) U not negative of the definite or absolute present, see
§§ 408 e, rem. a, and 531 ; also of the past see § 557.
(mm) j&u yes, yea (for ^xj it is agreeable) affirms the preceding
statement.
(po) Ja interrogative, see § 567.
(qq) La demonstrative here ; whence (see § 341 for an analogy)
JUL* there.
363. We have treated in §§ 357 and 359 certain accusative
substantives which serve as prepositions ; the same nouns may
be used as adverbs, but they must invariably end in JL. Thus
jju, jju ,j-© afterwards; ^>» where, ws**- v>-« whence,
wMfti '^J\ whither, U~»- wherever (see §§ 353* and 406) ;
J-i, J-.5 ^>» beforehand.
364. The Arabic language would however be poor in adverbs
but for the adverbial accusative, which is extensively used as will
be learned from § 440 et sqq. Here we may mention Ij^l ever,
U***. all together. Also, of the same class are the adverbs : —
(e) sJy* in the end prefixed to the imperfect to express real
futurity, see §§ 361 b, 408 c, and 587 d.
(g) JLS how?
Rem. b. For Ji5 see §§ 436, rem. /, and 442, rem. g (2).
§ 367] A GRAMMAR. 105
365. The conjunctions, like prepositions and adverbs, are
some inseparable and some separable.
366. The inseparable conjunctions are : —
(a) j and, see §§ 576 to 583.
(b) o so, and so, so that, and thereupon, then, see §§ 406 c,
415 d, 540, 576, and 587.
Rem. These conjunctions ^ and sJ may be preceded by the
i
interrogative 1 (see § 566).
(c) J. This may be (i) the li of command (see 417 a) which is
usually prefixed to the 3rd sing, of the jussive, to give it
an imperative sense; and when following j or J is
written without kasrari thus J : or (ii) the li which
governs the subjunctive and means that, so that, in order
that (see §§ 411 and 415 6).
367. Among the separable conjunctions are these : —
(a) 31 when is prefixed to a verbal or nominal proposition and
refers to the past; thus>»£»Uaa».'>l 3J^ and Remember the
time) when We delivered you.
(b) I3J wlienever, see § 405.
it
(d) Ul, followed by ^fi, as for, as regards, see § 576.
0 i
{e) O' tnat> so tacit> ™ order that governs the subjunctive
(see §§411 and 415 a i) ; also the perfect and indicative
(see § 415 a ii) : it is used after certain prepositions
(see §§ 470, rem./, and 488). Notice must here be taken
of Sj-^oJI ^j\ the explicative 'an, which introduces a
106 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§367
* , , dot ' * ' '»/ »f
(luotation; as JLoc J^t ^j\ ^y* ^J\ U*»^' IJ ' revecued
to Moses (saying) Throw down thy rod.
(/) O* if called ZJojJU I oj tne conditional 'in, see §§ 406 b,
413, 417 c i, and 588. The compounds are : —
^j\^ although (in which sense it is not usually followed
by an apodosis*), and if;
yj% verily if, see § 361 c ;
*$\ (for *5 Oi see § 14 b, rem. b) if not, but commonly
meaning except and with a preceding negative only, see
§ 586 a ;
Ul (for U i)\ see § 14 6, rem. b, and § 353*) if and
when repeated Ul^ U! either or, as
i^£X<J\ o-^ <J>& O' W^ ls*^* O' ^°1 (choose) either
that thou dost throw or that we be the throwers.
it Si
i.9) O' that- Like ,jl it precedes a noun in the accusative or
one of the pronominal suffixes given in § 185 ; the 1st
singular being j^yjl or ^1 and the 1st plural U>l or 01.
In such case the suffix « may be pronoun of the fact (see
0 J J 0 c-» © ^ - j5p
§ 362 m) as J-^v01r!JU> Ool£> a3L> because apostles used
£0 cottc^ to them. Beside ^W we have ^) which also
5*/
means bemuse, and o^ rt5 though, see §§ 436 and 470,
rem. /.
* The apodosis of a sentence is the consequent clause, which expresses
a result ; as distinguished from the precedent clause, called protasis, which
is conditional.
§ 369] A GRAMMAR. „ 107
(h) j\ or asj~»U- j\jJ*\m. a gatherer or a loser.
Si
(0 j** tlwm* and tnen> implying succession at an interval.
(k) ^fc till, see §§ 405, rem. c, 415 c, and 452, rem. c. Beside
. . . *** . . .
being a conjunction ^^1*. is a preposition, see § 358 b.
(n) O after, when, is used with the perfect.
0) 2 if, see §§ 404 and 588.
3)3 even though.
(p) U as long as, as far as ; used with the perfect (see § 407)
and jussive (see § 418) : it is called the ma of duration
(see § 353*).
368. The interjections are numerous: among them we find
U 0 ! which is used before nouns (see § 438 a) without the article,
as^»y> b 0 people; lyjl or ly-jl b 0\ used before nouns (see
§438 6) with the article, as ^Ul lyjt b 0 men; U lo ! as
t^)' j**>\ {* lo ye are those.
369. The following pages supply paradigms of the verbs.
First of all it is essential that Tables 1 and 2 be thoroughly well
learnt; thus with^I^a — to wound (see § 35, rem. a).
kalama kalamat kalamta kalamti kalamta
kalama kalamata kalamtuma
kalamu kalamna kalamtum kalamtunna kalamna
yaklimu takliinu taklimu taklimlna 'aklimu
yaklimani taklimani taklimani
yaklimuna yaklimna taklinifina taklimna naklimu
108 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 369
Also to be found in Table 1 are ji$ _^_ to kill ; ;u©.»- _n_ to collect
* * * j *
j-~*. -f- to lose; and ?j~> jl. to be quick.
Table 3 gives j^£s to wound much and to address, accost ;
iJ3\3 to fight with ; ^J—*' to turn Moslem ; j^SJi to speak ;
, , ,, . , , ,0 , , ,0
JJU5 to ,/?#^ with one another; ^>-yt to gush ; <Jj^l to ##
asunder ; jJuu~»l to ask pardon ; jaoI and jULot to 6e
Table 5 a b and c give j**-L.to stretch ; w*». -7- £0 be an object
oflote ; cr-*-i- to fo«cA ; jju* to stretch much or o/fow ; »\* and
■I * # > Si *t ^ * St + +
^U #0 contend in pulling ; j^l fo increase ; j jl*j to stretch oneself;
^^Uj and ,>lo^ of two persons together to stretch a cloth ; jjj^it to
Z,o
let oneself be dragged; jJUt to stretch oneself, to become extended;
d , * o
A to ask succour.
, *t m , it
Table 6 gives w\>) -?- to invite ; wot _2_ to be well brought up;
,,i ,,i * t , Sit
£\ _*_ to relate ; aJI ^l. to adore ; j^\ ^_ to suffer ; wo' to bestow
a good education, punish ; j-et to consult with ; s-iwl to afflict ;
* Sit * * ' r" * + ' *
OM-3 to proclaim ; j*»U and j~*\£ to deliberate in common ;
jl and jj*J>t to give alms, receive wages ; \J*\Z~>\ to ask per-
mission.
Table 7 gives ^J^ _*. to be brave ; ^JLj -'- to be in distress ;
JL»_£_ £0 interrogate; ^»\j to appoint as chief; ja^ to reconcile;
J^l to send; ^y to become chief; ^h^U* to feign poverty;
* t ,e
unlucky.
* i * 0 # , 1,3 * 0,0
*t>UJt to split itself; ^Uol to abase oneself; ja>j»Za\ to
§ 369] A GRAMMAR. 109
£ * * * >*
Table 8 gives Luk -^ to be pleasant ; £J3 _i_ to be mean ;
\j3 ^l. to read ; .J**' jL-to do wrong ; lo to inform ; IjlS to read
together with, teach mutually ; \j3\ to teach one to read or recite ;
•*,„ t, , ,
L3 £0 ctt// oneself a prophet ; IbU^J wrongly to attribute error to
i, , ft m i^o
oneself \ L~Jt of skin to be stripped off) U^aI to administer well;
Ijju-J to desire one to read.
* *' * * 00
Table 9 gives js-% — to promise ; £>j} — to inherit ; J**^ _^_
to fear ; j~j -?- to play at hazard and to be easy ; «t>j^ to cause
+ * o£ + «» a * * a
to inherit ; 0±j\ to feel swe ; lauut to be admonished ; j~3\ to
divide by lot a slain beast ; «i^L»t to expect ; j~~Jwt to be easy.
Tables 10 to 13 give Jl5_z_ to say ; ^L»— £0 #0; Jli^.
(for o>»».) #o y^a?' ; j^-o £0 fashion ; j-w £0 w?a^ #0 ; o^\h to
comply with \ jA~t to accompany ; J»l».l to encompass, compre-
hend ; J3A.5 (see § 47) to counterfeit, forge ; O**-' £0 appear char;
<jjlx3 £0 Atf/jo oh^ another ; j^l~J £0 travel in company ; JjLJl #0
-> x ft , *,o t '
be driven ; jU*J £0 cfoo.se ; ^Uiwt to A0/0J oneself upi'ight.
Tables 14 to 18 give U-j-^- to hope for ; jj'ju*— £0 direct \
^j-J ^_ £0 forget ; ^oj _±_ £0 6e pleased ; ^j^ £0 ma^ jpass and
to give a verb a transitive signification ; ^iU to give mutually ;
* ft£ St * * * + *
^fr)\ to put off; ^Bf^} to make oneself manifest ; ^bu to exalt
* * 0 ^ X ft
oneself] y^pj^ to be cleared away ; ^jua! £0 00 directed aright ;
^ji—wt to as& /or 0TM&
Concerning the vocalization of Derived Forms, it may be
helpful to note that, in the perfect active, fathah is characteristic
vowel of all : but iu the imperfect active we find (except for iv
110 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§369
having sukun to the first radical) in Forms n in and iv
U A I J& J>& j^i
in Forms v and vi
A A A A J&5 j5iif;
and in Forms vn vm and x (sukun being duly noted)
A. . ,0, <«/ 0,0,
In the perfect passive we find
U I as j*& J^*$ j^~A etc.
and in the imperfect passive
U A A as J& JJlib JlIJ etc.
Note. Nomina verbi are treated in §§195 to 212 ; while
nomina agentis et patientis find place in §§ 229, 230, 236 sqq.
§369]
A GRAMMAR.
Ill
FIRST FORM OF THE STRONG VERB.
Indie.
TABLE 1. ACTIVE
Imperfect.
Energ. i. Jussive. Subj.
i^j j#i j& j#k
Z , b* o 0' * o* jo,
.♦i-Jbu Jbu Jbu Ji£>
^}^^WW ^QrfWW ^j^WW ^rt*w
' ' ' '
i ' 0' 0 0' , a ' JO'
O^p ^p ^S3 ^)Sj
Si O' o ' o ' ' o '
v>oA£> ^P L5?^ ^Of3
Z ' O t OOf- 'Of jot
c>^>\ ^J=>\ ^f=>\ ^J=>\
oOp Op Op oOp
£>Op Op Op oOp
St j O' »0' j a , ' t o '
,J-©A£> t>oJ£j \y*&> Oyo^i
yt ' 0 O' ' 0 0' '0 0' ^00^
^UoIC; i>o^J cO^i COQ
a j o, jo, j *^ 'jO'
^Jp l>*X£> 1>o^» 0**>p
* '0 0' '0 0, '0 0' ' 0 t'
0u^bu ch^ cO& cO&
2 , O' 0 0'
^^
^x
Perfect.
^I£> m. 3. Sing.
' 0 ' '
C^Lfe m. 2.
SO&c. 1.
0*=> m. 3. Dual
CiU^c. 2.
I^Ui* m. 3. Plur.
oO^=>t
0 J 0, '
sjZ+U* in. 2.
§ JO' «
Ci^c. 1.
112 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§369
TABLE 1.
{continued!)
Imperative.
Feminine
Common
Masculine
VT^I
^JL4l 2. Singular
2. Dual
* • •
\^1=>\ 2. Plural
VERBS WITH OTHER CHARACTERISTIC VOWELS.
We have seen however, in §§ 91, 92 and 93, that all strong
verbs are not conjugated like the above ; for instance,
Imperative
-J^il
6*0
Imperfect .
Indicative
Perfect
JJlS m. 3. Singular
j j » ..
JJLaJ
j -• » ^
f>*»» ni- 3. Singular
<• * X «»
J ^ o *
j-M«fc m. 3. Singular
• x 0
J ' 0 *
Of~.a. m. 2.
J J 0 ,
c^-rf m. 3. Singular
C it, J
J I 0 -
* 0 J ^
<£*&j~i m. 2,
§369]
A GRAMMAR.
113
FIRST FORM OF THE STRONG VERB
TABLE 2. PASSIVE.
Imperfect.
Energ. i. Jussive. Subj. Indie.
St*+»i O * 0 J //tj J/O;
OJU* ^JJO ^JbO ^x,
^h^xc ^xc JKS J&
ChJUO ^ ^ ^
^Uj i/?^3 ^^ Ot+MZ
£ // e 2 «/ oi s * o I
yj * *0J
w //SJ s^Oj //JJ //»J
- ' - .- > * * 0 J
// jj //»j
US3 d&&
O^XSJ I^XJu fjjlfc, 0^JSi
^Uo-^J £H>*£i O-o-^J 0-*M*i
0 >< AJ J;»J J''J ^ i/»J
O^JLC I^JIC I^JLtf o>0Jl£>
OU^bo o^JUu o^JLO o^JLCJ
O+XK ^Si ^xc >£
Perfect.
Jjl4 m. 3. Sing.
O-JL^ m. 2.
J 0 J
C-s^DC. 1.
UJL^» m. 3. Dual
11^4 f.
- J 0 J
U^£> c. 2.
I^U4 m. 3. Plur.
>^X£> m. 2.
uU4c. i.
nil.
114
ELEMENTARY ARABIC t
[§369
DERIVED FORMS OF THE STRONG VERB.
PASSIVE.
Indie. Perfect
j 2* J * *t i
TABLE 3.
ACTIVE.
Irnpera. Indie. Perfect
j^b. ^SJ ^X£> II
J3\*i JJ>»
Ox j * j
JJ15 JJUb J315 III
J&~i
x ol
o oi
J<X-i
«.x oi
IV
J ' X X J
JS3
M
ifi»
V
J X XXX
0* xx
JJU5
JiUJJ
Jiii5
VI
J x xOj
x JO J
» xO
x *
» /«/
x
VII
J XX- J
x JOJ
O ,0
x xxO
vir
e x o fix o x fix o
JJ^-ot ^icu ^JU2»1 IX
i^J'»J « Ox 0 1
0 0x0 1 0,0 +
jAStl^iS jAsCL^J jjliiwt X
Oxd W x 0 x 5 x 0
U.ol ,U-£u ,Ia^I XI
Jx>
§369]
A GRAMMAR.
115
FIRST FORM OF THE VERB WITH MIDDLE
RADICAL DOUBLED.
TABLE 5. a. ACTIVE.
Imperfect. Perfect.
Energ. I. Jussive.
Subj.
Indie.
St *,
itt.
J*6 111. 3.
Sing.
0 J 0^
£ Jx
^oJ
it 3 ,
o St ,
Oju© f.
Si St 3,
0 3 0,
it3.
, 0 , ,
0,}JL« 111. 2.
St w 3 ,
ot 3 ,
L^J^o-3
i«j/
<S^
, <tt J,
o , ,
Cojuo f.
0 0 jc
i,ji
w')^« C. 1.
2 J/
«5 j*
5 *
Ijl* m. 3.
Dual
a j,
U*3
St J/
U*3
Si 3,
ulif.
O*j*o3
,30 , ,
Uojlc c. 2.
2 wJ/
5^
U j, a m. 3.
Plur.
• 0 3 0,
* 0 J 0,
,030,
, 0 , ,
a it j.
it j.
it3.
Oj^
^^ju* in. 2.
«i - 0 J 0 ,
,033,
,030,
,030,
k. 0 a , ,
0 0 J«
0 3 0,
Si j ,
i 3,
,0 , ,
UjJUft c. 1.
8—2
116
ELEMENTARY ARABIC
[§ 360
TABLE 5. a. (continued.)
Imperative.
Feminine
Common
Masculine
J Oi
0 i OJ
jjuol 2. Singular
bju>l
2. Dual
&)j*c\ IjjJ^t 2. Plural
We find also in the Imperative j*e, j*c and jco; while the
Jussive has also **-o->, jl©j and jl&j.
VERBS WITH OTHER CHARACTERISTIC VOWELS.
Attention is drawn in § 120 b to these verbs, which have
other peculiarities beside those here noted :
Imperative. Imperfect. Perfect.
Jussive. Indie.
m. 3. Sing.
c^*tJ
ui ' * 0 *■ 0 *
^~*0 ^fi iCl ^>«^J ^» ^m)
m. 2.
^^-a m. 3. Sing.
0 * OJ u> , * 0 * 6 ^\
^/*««* ^^■»«•* t/***^ c/***'*'
^ '■miniiiO
C^*,,^-,
„ y
369]
A GRAMMAR.
117
FIRST FORM OF THE VERB WITH MIDDLE
RADICAL DOUBLED.
TABLE 5. b. PASSIVE.
Imperfect. Perfect
Energ. I.
Jussive.
Sub}.
Indie.
0 0*J
0 ' 0 J
St * t
a j
jue in. 3.
Sing.
0 ' 0 J
0<* j
1, ,
e Si j
O Jue f.
St Si * J
0 x fl.»
jw3
0 m * J
«i x j
w xj
X Mi X J
wOJbif.
St St *l
St.i
0xi
JO J
0>JC6 C. 1.
x
w fix j
fix*
5 «j
5 x j
Si J
\ JL4 in. 3.
Dual
<tt St * j
St ' J
UP
2 xj
fi x j
ujUf.
X
Si x J
0 -J
5 <• j
g^3
UJjJ^ c. 2.
St I,*
fix*
fix,
U jco m. 3.
Plur.
x 0 x 0 i
* 0 * 0 J
x 0 - 0 J
x 0 J
fix,
it. J
x fix,
»xft J
CO****5
0 0 x 0 J
x 0 x 0 J
St St * i
0 x 0 J
0 X J
it. J
loju* C. 1.
113
ELEMENTARY ARABIC I
[§369
DERIVED FORMS OF VERBS WITH MIDDLE
RADICAL DOUBLED.
PASSIVE.
Indie.
Perfect
j 2'J
* Ml J
>**■+*
3*X*
a>W*
' J
33J*
j a **»
* *> * i
>**z&
>J>+J
^ui
* j j
3U~!
33>«J
•"'•J 5 j oj
TABLE 5. c.
ACTIVE.
Impera. Indie. Perfect
3*X«c*! 3J^ II
33^-} 33
33U
^
III
» Of
30*t
**1
IV
3^
3JUo^
3Jh^>
V
33 U3
33U^J
3Ulj
i>U5]
VI
VI]
3Ju*t
St ,0
VI]
• 0^- 0 \
8 + •
1 .0.
2//1
X
§369]
A GRAMMAR.
119
VERBS WITH INITIAL RADICAL HAMZATED.
TABLE 6.
PASSIVE.
Indie.
Perfect
x 1
WO'
'4
tip.
Jp
. 1
j* /j
X I
**k
yp
* , • j
- i
OLwjJ
uL^t
1 *i, y
x W it
j-oUJ
X J J
J X xxj
X J J
J x x 6 J
* J J
» * Ct)
x i.
y^
->V
x 01 0 t
x-«
0 x xx
* x
ACTIVE.
Impera.
Indie.
Perfect
0
W0W
• j j
At
'Jfc
xxf
■ i
aL|
a3U
xx£
Ail
• x
*8"
j *xj
^ SI
ii
X X ^
in
o ~
i K
. i '.r
TV
• Sfx J £(// x S*x
Oi^ Oi^J 0*lJ Y
j*e\~-i
J X XXX * X X^
, JL
U
VI
VIII
1,1
j l*>.
Oi1^' o^^~~* osuu#i X
X X ^ *
Form VII is not found.
120
VERBS WITH
PASSIVE.
Indie. Perfect
ELEMENTARY ARABIC I [§ 369
MIDDLE RADICAL HAMZATED.
TABLE 7.
ACTIVE.
Impera. Indie. Perfect
3 - .- »
wU-
^J
5 ol
' * JJ-
J i , 0}
x J Oj
x J 0 »
' ota*
0 JOJ
X .» X
u4#
o £o
0 0
J Ox
U*^
o^l
^r**s+J
Of 0
CM
OxO
JJL-J
J x 0 x
lHj iH^J u*»l)
o£ J »j
Ofxx J **■
cr*'^ u**!/^ c^Lh
J f // X ^xx
0x0 J x 0 ,
C^*--W
Oxo j o * o * >£oxO
II
^ ^ Ji«5 HI
4JLM ^JUJLj JN)| IV
u*'2^ u***W*i u*>*W-* ^-f
£>USl VII
^UJI VIII
X
§369]
A GRAMMAR.
121
VERBS WITH FINAL RADICAL HAMZATED.
TABLE 8.
PASSIVE.
Indie. Perfect
1,0, £ J
III; ;±i
L5^
Id.
1. ^
1,0,
[a
l ol
2-x ,i
\J*.9**
l,,0,
l JO,
£ J Oj
*' £ ' ° J
£ 0 J 0 J
ACTIVE.
Impera. Indie. Perfect
to I o, £.^
I,.
[ft
2'
£
i -..
i OS
is. ~
l,ol
% OS
U>UlJ ilu^j LbuLj
I, ,0
J^^JI
1.0 I ,0, I, , 0
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
X
122
ELEMENTARY ARABIC
[§369
VERBS WITH 3 OR ^ AS INITIAL RADICAL.
TABLE
9.
PASSIVE.
ACTIVE.
Itidic.
Perfect
Impera.
Indie.
Perfect
* * j
s J
»
j *
' " \
***i
*t*
J£>
J^J
J*3
3 ' J
- J
0
j -
, ,
^Jli
&j3
h
£p
*>}S
J - 0*
J*J
» ' »
* J
0
J 0/
, * *
j^yi
J-^i
*A
*«*>*;)
j~*j
hj
0**i i>bj
{jJu\ 0*}i 0*i^
IV
$ 0 ii * in
Lot
t ut* + * Si
VIII
*.S^~~J 9.9^Lj
J * O * O J * J 0 J
J^O/J j^e-o-. //O^O
a5^wl «.5^-»o ftS^lwl
0 0^0 J J/J/ ' * 0 / 0
>^Zwt J~^~J >^Iw|
Forms II, III, V and VI resemble strong verbs, and VII is
not found
§369]
A GRAMMAR.
123
FIRST FORM OF THE VERB WITH ^ AS
MIDDLE RADICAL.
TABLE 10. ACTIVE.
Imperfect.
Perfect.
Energ. I.
Jussive.
Subj.
Indie.
J*
* *
J 15 m. 3. Sing.
JJB
j£
0 x x
3 J J '
Ji3
CJL3 m. 2.
6>&
J'
O*^
oJLSf.
ax jt
tit
J3\
x jt
oJL5c. 1.
x 0 3+
x 1/
c/$&
^15 m. 3. Dual
<)J5
<jji5
o*M*
UJISf.
<jJ5
jy&
U^5 c. 2.
I^JIS m. 3. Plur.
o&i
cA^t
* 0 ) *
* 0 J
v£
Vi*
6y>^
^olXS m. 2.
0>^i3
* 0 J,
o£Ut
it >• J *
0 j*
Jit
J^
^ * j
US c. I,
124
ELEMENTARY ARABIC :
[§ 369
TABLE 10. {continued.)
Imperative.
Feminine Common Masculine
.jjy* J3 2. Singular
V
2. Dual
^
\££ 2. Plural
TABLE 11.
Imperative.
Feminine
Common
Masculine
sft*;
0
^ 2. Singular
\>ft*
2. Dual
* •
U^w 2. Plural
TABLE 11. a.
Imperative,
Feminine
Common
Masculine
^
0 *
v_a». 2. Singular
\i\l
2. Dual
lyU. 2. Plural
§3C9]
A GRAMMAR.
125
FIRST FORM OF THE VERB WITH ^ AS
MIDDLE RADICAL.
TABLE 11. (continued from page 124). ACTIVE.
Imperfect.
Energ. i.
Jussive.
Subj.
Indie.
Oj#yi
'rk
J^yi
>yj
jLw m. 3.
Sing.
Ojtr?
0 *
'y&
J"t~~^
6s,
OjU f.
0 0
* *
x 0
Oj~> in. 2.
St £
\ffr>?
e£h>~3
£yJj.+~*J
Oj-W f .
ft I
j t
J 0
C^~> c. 1.
+ *
i#
^
|J^|
tjU> 111. 3.
Dual
*• *
jtyij
t^^J
O!/***^
UjUf.
o !/£-••■>
U*~>j
t^J
^)J/**J
U.j>w c. 2.
03J*yi
l^jLw m. 3.
Plur.
- - i *
* * -
Or*, f •
03f*~y>
ftjft
^^w m. 2.
^ »
Oj-75
^ 0 -
Oj-3
a jft
Or^
0 ^
J*3
0|-» c. 1.
Perfect.
126
ELEMENTARY ARABIC
[§ 36°
FIRST FORM OF THE VERB WITH ^ KASRATED
AS MIDDLE RADICAL.
TABLE 11. a. (continued from page 124). ACTIVE.
Perfect.
Imperfect.
Energ. i. Jussive. Subj.
0 + * > i> - *■ * * *
Indie.
J ' s
JUJ
^U^J c>^^-3
^,liU*-> liU»L>
o x t , * t
U Jlil
I3Uni
wiU.1
iUU^
^liUJ liU»J UULj O^^-*
tliUJ Is'aLJ UULj
O^^
vl ) * *
^ilaLj ^'aL-; iyi«*-J CL^^i
w * » * x * 0 * , , 0 * * , 0 , ,
^jUAaL-j ^Sia^J y^As*.\ ^>.&aL..j
^>ilaLJ I5IUJ tyU*J <Ji*^
•*^0^^ * 0 * ' * 0 * * * 0 + *
^)l«fcaL.J j>AaLJ t>AaLJ tt>Aa>..'»
ijilaLj QlaLJ wJU^J wila*J
oli- m. 3. Sing.
Cft^. m. 2.
c. 1.
Uli. m. 3. Dual
131*. f.
^A±. C. 2.
tyU. m. 3. Plur.
^jft. m. 2.
2 JO
f.
c. 1.
§369J
A GRAMMAR.
127
FIRST
Energ. i.
W X ^ t
s* - J
0>W
- ^ ^ j
OJUu
v>JUb
FORM OF THE VERB WITH ^ OR ^
AS MIDDLE RADICAL.
TABLE 12. PASSIVE.
Imperfect.
Jussive. Subj.
J~
0* J
J*
Ji3
JUU
JU3
JJI
•Njlii
9u3
JUM
N)U3
^ 0 ^ J
iyub
ja ji*
Indie.
J*
JU3
JjJUj L5JL5J l«J^ ChJUu
j .i
tffttt
u^
JUL
Perfect.
JJ> m. 3. Sing.
oJL3 m. 2.
c. 1.
%5 m. 3. Dual
ifJLSf.
x JO
JJ13 c. 2.
I^La m. 3. Plur.
JjJ m. 2.
v>xX5f.
ui$c. 1.
128
ELEMENTARY ARABIC:
DERIVED FORMS OF VERBS WITH 3
AS MIDDLE RADICAL.
TABLE 13.
PASSIVE. ACTIVE.
Indie. Perfect Impera. Indie. Perfect
[§369
OR ,j
» ul ' J + *i J 0 vl ' J u> * J * ui * \
II
£JU*
£J>^
^ J
X*-"
L^i
J>£3
j a "*
*■*»*
Cx>^}
Cyt**
035*3
jA*~JJ
J ' 0 J
* OJ
J1— o
jUaL.J
* 0 J
^fe'j
' »J ° •*
£jl^
iU»
0 - J ' .»
eh**3
Oi^ O^^J
I— J Ju>L*£;>
III
^jL*%;> ^^
J*U.t 3.
~L^1 2.
J>a5
m. Sing.
IV
m.
JjL»Jt 3,
^siwl 2.
• 0-0
VI
m. Sing.
VII
m.
m. Sing.
VIII
m.
^oUlwl 3. m. Sing.
§369]
A GRAMMAR.
129
FIRST FORM OF THE VERB WITH 3 AS
FINAL RADICAL.
TABLE 14. ACTIVE.
Imper,
feet.
Perfect.
Every, i.
Jussive. •
Subj.
Indie.
w , J 0*
J 0*
< j o*
J 0*
\e*j m. 3. Sing.
i , j o,
Oy^j3
cy3
, J 0 ,
&V3
J 0,
o * ,
J 0*
* J 0 +
JO,
, 0 * s
O3.&.J m. 2.
0 '
o *
U+J3
* 0 *
0 * *
Ojo*, f.
LAW1
J ot
j ot
1 0 s *
O^o-j c. 1.
, J 0*
* J 0*
I^».j m. 3. Dual
O^j3
, J 0,
h+j3
^ j o*
^J3
li^jf.
oW*
5 > *^
- j a .» - j 0 - * j 0 ,
lj+j* ^J3 o^j3
'JW^H
j»/ * JO,
* , j 0 * 0 j 0 + * * * * «» j 0 ,
O^i*^ 0*°!"*i Ol**Ji O^f^i
& J 0 * J 0 * J 0 * 'JO'
*>^P ^j3 1***3 Oy+J3
* * j 0 * ^jo* * j 0* ' J °z
C^FV3 O^-j3 Oyt-J3 Oi+j3
I ' J 0' JO*
o>^P ^J3 %
GR.
J 0'
^B^j c-
\m m
3.
Plur
' 0 , '
Oy*j f-
OJO ' '
^<*J m
2.
5 t° ' ' e
O^s+j fc
1.
130
ELEMENTARY ARABIC;
[§369
TABLE H. (continued).
Imperative.
Feminine
6 i
it
V*>'
uy^j
Feminine
0,0
Common
W
Masculine
»-il 2. Singular
2. Dual
l^iyi 2. Plural
TABLE
15.
Imperative.
Feminine
Common
Masculine
^jJk^
0
jJbt 2. Singular
bjJbt
2. Dual
* 0
t5jj>t 2. Plural
TABLE 16.
Imperative,
Common
* * 0
o**>j
Masculine
v^;! 2. Singular
2. Dual
tlijl 2. Plural
i^o,!
§369]
A GRAMMAR.
131
FIRST FORM OF THE VERB WITH ^ AS
FINAL RADICAL.
TABLE 15. {continued from page 130). ACTIVE.
Imperfect.
Energ. i.
Jussive.
Subj.
Indie.
8 *> o.
Of
Jyi
f 0,
ifi^H
f f
^jJb m. 3. Sing.
oi*>r>
Of
iJJ&
0'
OjJkf.
if 0'
0,
*£***
yf*£
f 0 f f
C^-JJJb in. 2.
£)>£>
\f±$
iSJ^
f 0*
0 f f
0* ot
lijjbf
0 c
^JtJoS
J Of*
WsJjJb C. 1.
k^iri
f 0 *
f Of
bjJb m. 3. Dual
ok^P
f Of
* Of
dfcf
Ujjbf.
f *
f 0 ,
*- Of
£&*>">
IbkjJb c. 2.
J Of
J Of
0 J Of
Off
Ijjj* m. 3. Plur.
ml f 0 f
f Of
f Of
f 0 '
f Of f
£ jo ,
J Of
* 0 *
t 0*
0 J 0^ f
^iJJb m. 2.
m 0 »-
CH^P
O-i*?
CH^P
&>0f.
w , 0 ,
f
0*
>j£>
m f
fO > f
UjjJb c. 1.
9-2
Perfect,
132
ELEMENTARY ARABIC
[§369
FIRST FORM OF THE VERB WITH MIDDLE
RADICAL KASRATED AND 3 OR ^ AS
FINAL RADICAL.
TABLE 16. (continued from page 130). ACTIVE.
Imperfect.
Perfect.
Energ. I.
Jussive.
Subj.
Indie.
•
Oi^ji
* o *
*0*
* 0*
V^-fj in. 3.
Sing.
Z * *o^
* Ox
x 0 *
* Ox
0 X X
S * * o*
* 0*
* 0*
x Ox
* x
C«,wOj m. 2.
0 x Ox
0,0*
x * * 0,
*~y*ej t
2 , *oi
x«s
xO*
j *
%£*S£*0J C. 1.'
<d 0 /t/
0 * 0 *
* * 0*
x * 0*
Ix-oj m. 3.
Dual
* * 0*
* * 0.
OW»p
U~£; f.
Ml - - 0 *
x x 0*
* * 0*
OUop
X J "
lo^p; o. 2.
£ » * o*
Oy°*H
• x Ox
% 0^0
S*°*H
00*0*
Jx
t^Oj m. 3.
Plur.
«i x 0 xOx
x 0 x Ox
x 0 x Ox
C*j-f j f •
0 i/t«
0 /t«
!>op
* * x Ox
o>^p
Oj
^-^ m. 2.
X x 0 x Ox
# 0 xO*
* o /i/
x 0 x 0*
s * x •> -»
- 0*
LT^
\S°J>
uLo; c. l.
369]
FIRST
Enerrj. i.
UfV
Hi ' " 0 C
2 J x 0 J
A GRAMMAR. 133
FORM OF THE VERB WITH 3 OR ^
AS FINAL RADICAL.
TABLE 17.
Imperfect.
Jussive. Subj.
/ «J -OS
»' Si + o , 6 t
s 0 J 0 * 01
St * < •*
z* u**
PASSIVE.
Indie.
^•^ i^s*^ £h&P
//OJ //»J
Wj-5 oW«tP
!**^ j>»^ o>»-^
C*Wi 0**-J* O^^i
W l**"^ u>»^
O1***^ 0*°->H 0**->H O**^
L*1*^
Perfect.
i^a»j m. 3. Sing.
m. 2.
f.
**.J c. 1.
Ua*j m. 3. Dual
t*-j
^ji-
c. 2.
I^a-j ra. 3. Plur.
e i j
c>-j C. 1.
134
ELEMENTARY ARABIC
[§369
DERIVED FORMS OF VERBS WITH 3 OR ^
AS FINAL RADICAL.
TABLE 18.
Passive Active
Indie. Perfect Impera. Indie. Perfect
{JJ*
IT
Si - J 0 d « i
n. pat., m. \£jaa f. o\jjlc
D. ag..
i m. Jta^ f.
0/ «l/i
Z '3 0 ' * 1
n. pat., m. .JsU* f. SUsIao
n. ag.,
m. J9U4 f
III
L5^ LS^1
0 J
'el
IV
n. pat., m. ice^.-« f. ola^o
n. ag.,
m. p.j«c t.
L5^i ^^
5 ^ ^
W
J^
V
5 - .* .» 02<^j
n. pat., m. j^^UJU f . $%s*1a
n. ag.,
m 0 + J
JQ
J*k
JGS
VI
n. pat., m. ^Jbu* f. S'NjUl*
n. ag.;
* * j
f. aJbu*
-j . O ^ ., el
n. pat., m. ^jks^^c f. o^l»*.,u
- 0
n. ag.,
ra. ^J^i*
VII
//>j 0 a el
f^e j o ,, e »
n. pat., m. ^juy* f. St ju^o
^»/»> ' ^ OJ OJ
2 0 «■ 0 J 0 .* 0 «• 0 J
n.pat.,m. ,Ju»J-»M©f. dUL«JL~*« n. ag., m. JU.X™* f.
J^Ai L£**^v£ ^JuAt VIII
n. ag., m. juL^ f. ajJu^-o
^e^o ^ a * » ^ , e *■ e
PAKT III.
SYNTAX.
[From section numbers below there must be subtracted 400, in order to ascertain
tlie corresponding section of Wright's Arabic Grammar, vol. ii.]
401. We have observed in § 77 that an Arabic verb has two
States: of these the Perfect indicates, —
J x ^ X J * * '
(a) an act completed at some time past, as oju ^j~>y* fjj
Moses plucked out his hand ;
(b) an act which has been already completed at the moment
oj/ S/ ^j/ ; I oj ot It* * o,i
of speaking, and remains so, thus j&*&* >*3 lyJI ^Cjijl <UJt j*c.\
^olUJI ^s. shall I seek for you an object of worship other than
God, seeing that He has favoured you above all creatures'!
(c) a past action which still continues, as Ot^-JI ou~>j3 *-*$
.L *> o w - jo + +% *
His throne comprises the heavens, aJJ I ^ b *n)I <L&+* ^>« w>L^t U
no mischance befalls except by permission of God ;
(d) an act just completed at the moment of speaking, as
* o * j o j
*iLJl o*J / repent toward Thee ;
(e) in treaties, promises, bargains and the like, an act which,
though future, is quite certain ;
> .- -- j - *
(/) something desired, as aJUt A+&.J God have mercy upon
*«,, »t, jt + . a*
him, j^~>$ ^^ *M I (^5*^ God bless him and grant him peace.
136 ELEMENTARV ARABIC : [§ 402
Rem. Europeans translate ^>«^JUJI w»j <UJI ^)jl3 blessed be
God the Lord of all creatures, but the verb is declarative (see § 50,
rem. a).
0 -
402. The perfect is often preceded by j3 (see § 362 z) to add
assurance of completeness ; which may lie
(a) in certainty, as U.y ULgl j3 We sent Noah, C,...^,..»U
>ov.yU* ^Ul J£» ^U jJ L*£ lyZ*£. U^>! <u*c so from it twelve
springs gushed, every tribe assuredly knew their drinking -place ; or
(b) in being expected or contrary to expectation, as ^»&*»» j£
***
i^-j / have brought you evidence.
Note. If preceded by affirmative J (see § 361 c) the influence
of jA is in no way affected.
403. The pluperfect is expressed, —
(a) by the simple perfect in a relative or conjunctive clause*
which depends upon a clause in which the verb is perfect ; thus
\3j~0 I*? J^5lj»*t ^Xj ^jkz ^^^aJI dbj c-s.J^ c-^> the most
gracious woi'd of thy Lord was fulfilled to the sons of Israel by
reason of wliat they had endured] ^hUI o**' l^s*-~» I^aJI U-^
so when they had cast, they bewitched men's eyes ;
(b) by the perfect and ji, with or without 3, provided the
0 *■ 0 j 3 t 0 * ' * «.
preceding clause has its verb in the perfect, as jJ^yil Ijl; UJj
\$Lb and when they saw that they had erred ;
(p) by O^ t° oe prefixed to the perfect ;
* A relative or conjunctive clause is one coupled to its ruling clause
by a relative pronoun or connective particle.
§ 406] A GRAMMAR. 137
(d) by o^3 an(^ the perfect, with *xi interposed, .or prefixed.
Of
404. (a) When two correlative clauses follow y (/"(see §§ 367 o
and 588) or any similar hypothetical particle, perfect verbs in
both clauses may correspond with the English pluperfect sub-
J 0, 0 OJ'*'0'- * 0 Of
junctive ; as J*$ v>* vev**^*' C*& ^ if Thou hadst wished
TJiou woiddst have destroyed them beforehand.
405. After tjt whenever, as often as (see 367 b) a perfect is
said to take the imperfect's meaning ; and perfect verbs in two
correlative clauses have either a present or future signification,
provided the first clause extends its conversive influence to the
verb of the second ; thus djJk Id ty 13 JLL^J I ^JA*. I3J5 and
whenever a boon comes to them they will say, This {boon) is due
to us. Sometimes <3{ is followed by an imperfect, and sometimes
preceded by <j^ or tne like.
Rem. c. So also with two perfect verbs after lit ^^ (see
§ 415 c) as oUL, LU^-w CJtf) 1^1 ^m, until, when they (the
winds) bear cloud, We drive it ; or in English idiom, till they bear
cloud, when We drive it.
0
406. (a) After ,jl if (see § 367/) and words similarly of
conditional meaning, the perfect is said to take a future sense
and can be rendered by the English present ; as, for instance, after
0 * ' ' 0 ' 3 0 +
rj*o who, whoever, U what, 1<V* whatever, *£«**» where, and the
* *0>oiO'CilO * » 0 *
like. Thus ^>-JUiJ) o^ ^^ 0\ if we be the victors, £yi o-*
0, % j
a~Ju *-w whoever is made to guard against his own covetousness,
rs,'- 0 JO J b . J J
1 li U ^1 except what he wishes, j^ZJ* w~»- l>l£» eat itherever ye
ol
wish. In certain cases this rule applies to ^1 or.
138 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 407
(h) If the words u\ etc. be followed by two clauses, the first
expressing a condition and the second its result, both verbs may
be perfect.
(c) If the perfect after <jj etc. is to keep its original sense,
,jI£d or one of O^9 O'^i.1 the sisters of the verb kdna (see § 442)
must stand in the protasis before the verb and t^i must mark
*• * o j o «. %* **> «» o * 6 » a
the apodosis. Thus o-° <z*& Ol ^ ^^ ^W **£*• ^ Oj
^>*3,>LaJ I if thou hast brought a sign, produce it, if thou art oj
the truthful.
(d and e) Other cases arise in the use of ,jj and similar words.
Rem. c. When U etc. are interrogatives or simple relatives,
J • "
and waa*. a simple relative adverb, without any conditional sig-
nification, perfects dependent upon them keep their original
sense.
407. After U as bug as (see § 367 p) the perfect has a present
or future signification ; thus^orlwl U <UJ1 \y3\ fear God as
far as ye are able.
408. The Imperfect Indicative expresses no temporal defi-
nition, but indicates a state existing at any time. Hence it
signifies ; —
(a) what is always taking, or may at any time take, place
(the indefinite present); as <Uj ^jjb <uU> v-j^-i its (the land's)
plants come forth by permission of its Lord :
(b) an incomplete act, commenced and continuing (the defi-
nite present); as^) ~~a>\ I counsel you :
§ 408] A GRAMMAR. 139
(c) what will occur (the simple future), as g»jo*>> ^tUju^
*o * o j ej
^j^oJI thus shall We bring forth the dead; ^,fa 0 » j >©^j j^»3I
w«£0 mention of the day whereon He shall assemble you. The
future sense may be made more distinct by using sJy~» (see § 364 e),
*J*0**0** *
thus O^-o-^* J>»j so #0 sW/ ybww ; or ^ (see § 361 b), thus
i>*«" ..&».») I juj-w FP$ «?/// grzw increase to the righteous.
(d) When appended to the perfect without intervening par-
ticle, it expresses (either what is explained in the following
subsection, or) an act which was future to the past time of which
* \ 3 j o j * *ai
we speak; thus <&jj a^Uj J~>j\ he sent to inform him of this,
>^yJU jS~tri £■*»■' he determined to circumvent the Jews.
(e) Under circumstances similar to those mentioned in the
preceding subsection, the imperfect indicative frequently ex-
presses an act which continues during the past time, and then
it can be translated by the English present participle ; thus
'SJI dj^j 4*jU ^i\jj juU he grasped the head of his brother.
* $" " .' j** . i *
dragging it towards himself; IJJk u°j* U3****W w>L£)l Iy>j3
** J*OJ* * J J** ,OiOlO
U jkkjfd 0^3*i3 ^j>*$ ' t**9 inherited the book, taking the vain
goods of this nearer (i.e. the present world) and saying, We shall
be pardoned.
Rem. a. After *$ not the imperfect indicative retains its idea
p * 2 j t o * * * t * St*
of incompleteness and duration, as \jSj *^l *~jti*j *} w****. ^JJI
as to that (land) which is bad (its plants) do not come forth except
scantily. After U not it has the present sense (see § 557), as
i * 0* *
Ll« jgkij U thou dost not take vengeance on us.
140 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§409
409. By prefixing O^ to tne imperfect indicative we point
out a past act which continued or was repeated ; thus U JJau
^jaX^xj \y\£* worthless was ivkat they were dmng, \y>\£* O-i^
' J * 0 ^ O J
ijyLsueu^j who used to be esteemed weak.
411. The Subjunctive mood has always a future sense after
the adveib ^J not (see § 362 hh), as ^y O* ^i0U sna^ not. see
. ° *■
Me ; also after certain conjunctions, amongst which are vjt that,
o j - o j o £ ) j a / »J
as^o-^-^-j^-d O' ^>H ^ wishes that he may expel you ; ^) (jl
(pronounced ^> see § 14 b, rem. £) £to not, as ^ o^ 1^5^ J^**-
J>aJI ^1 olUI j^U JyH (/# &) binding on me that I shall not
speak concerning God except the truth ; and J that, so that, as
x y * •»* * + * + * o £ 0<« <• 3 J * J J s '£
*^Vj ^**0 U^*^' L5* J^...A._s J j^*^ jJ^l <fos£ ^W fctf^
jlt/os^s so £^a£ Ae s^a// commit disorders in the land and shall
leave thee and thy gods? For further particulars see §415.
412. The Jussive mood takes the perfect's meaning when
preceded by ^i not (see § 362./?') or WJ not yet, as^-^ <****t >o^
w>U£Jt Jj'ij* to watf ^ covenant of the book been made with
them? See §418.
413. The jussive after ,jt if and words of conditional sense
(see § 406) has the same meaning as the perfect in a similar
J-y 0 * * " J J Zi d y G * vi * 0 J » J 0
situation ; as ax* o-*J ls**^"0^ hj*^°i *~*~' j*y^ 0\ if an
evil befall them, they attribute their bad luck to Moses and those
who are with him; l^ Up».,...:J 2u\ ^>© aj UJ15 U.^.© whatever
sign thou bringest us in order that thou mayest bewitch us tJiereby.
When the first of two correlative clauses contains an imperative,
§ 415] A GRAMMAR. 141
and the second a jussive, the latter has the same meaning as if
ft
the first clause contained a verb in the jussive preceded by sj\ ;
tj « * oj ^ ft ft' - so* j j oj
thus ^oXJLLktk j^J jJlxj w»WH t^X»ol g^ter the gate (and) We
will pardon to you your sins meaning if ye enter the gate We will
pardon you. See § 417 c ii.
414. The imperfect Energetics are future in sense, as jjjtkS^
hands and feet on opposite sides, then I will crucify you. See
§419.
415. The Subjunctive mood, which can occur only in a sub-
ordinate clause, indicates an act dependent upon, and future to,
that mentioned in the previous clause : it is governed by certain
particles, amongst which are the following.
•i
(a) i. By o' (see § 367 e) that after verbs expressing incli-
nation, order, permission, necessity etc. ; as also by *$ jjl that not
and {J not (see § 362 hh). Thus ^U^Ji iu^j <jl J&] ^U.
your Lo?'d may perhaps destroy your enemies ; see also examples
in § 411.
Note. When UJ (see § 367/) is used, the ruling verb may
be understood, as Oy& O' Mi ^5*"^ u' *■*•] ^j*}* W l*^5
^JUUJI ^a^i M#y *a/rf, 0 itfbses (choose) either that thou or
' ft * ft i i* ft J ft < ft I i, * , £.0 *^#
w# Mrow. We find ,jJ <j' as '>***! O-* O' 'iLH^* CH^'vc^i
^ unbelievers have asserted that they shall not be raised (from
ft £ ft j it
^ dead): here o' stands for^^yjl, and this is common when
ili- verb is negatived, as well as when the verb is strengthened
ft ^ ^ ^ 0 -•
with j^5, ^r* or w5^~/.
142 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§415
ii. But if the ruling verb makes an assertion (without
expectation, wish, or the like) and the verb following ,j1 is to
express a past or present sense we use the perfect or imperfect
O £ 0 0 O J ~ * O i OtO *
indicative after o1- Tnus j^^o-^V Ol
that an admonition has come to you, jako <jl j^s>\ I know that he
is sleeping. It is however more usual in this case to employ a
nominal proposition (see § 513) using <jl with a pronoun ; thus
jbjij ^XjI j^u he knows that thou standest,^91r0XSi> *$ aj\ \jjj ^S\
could they not perceive that it (the calf) did not speak to them ?
If the ruling verb expresses doubt or supposition concerning a
thing future, &\ may govern the imperfect indicative or sub-
junctive; as^^yJ^ *aj <J' \y^* they thought it was about to
fall upon them.
Rem. a. As regards aj;Juo^JI <j! the 'an which with its verb
is equivalent to a macdar, see § 488.
(b) By J in order that (see § 366 c ii) and its compounds ;
thus Ij-Ul ly*U I^jjO 4-o JLoJ I ^ dj^JjX* j£«J IjJb ^f iw7?/
M/s W a plot which ye have contrived in the city in order that ye
may drive out of it its people.
Rem. a. Originally J was a preposition (see § 356 c), and
0 i
when a conjunction it stands for &*$ for that, as is seen in the
negative *$3 (for *$ ^^) : we cannot say ^U.
(c) By ^J^ till (also originally a preposition, see § 358 b):
but if no intention or expectation of the agent be implied, there
follows the indicative, or as in § 405, rem. c, the perfect.
(d) By sJ so that when it introduces a clause giving the
§417] A GRAMMAR. 143
result or effect of a preceding clause which expresses a wish;
0 0*0' * 0 * * 3 0* * Of.0* 0 3* 0 * 0 ' 0 t 0 3 it* * *
thus O^O*3 ^r=> J&~* VfjW LJ^ A*kk±Z~J O* J&J LT^
your Lord may perhaps make you successors in the land, so that
He may set how ye act. There are other conditions under which
^9 governs a subjunctive.
416. The Indicative must be used in all clauses except
those governed by o' or other particle with sense of \j\ ; as
* 3 3 0* 0* *~6iO 3 >* * 3 * \ *
jj^jJuLj j»yA Otj^t \J>j«aJ sl)Jj& thus We diversify the signs
* 3*0' * * it tO * 3 ' Oi
to a grateful people ; &y*Xju •} U olUI ,j.« ^-Ut I know from
>* * * o * o*' •* * * o'* 2i j
God what ye know not ; *UJ ^c l£*Vj *l*J e>° J*^5 Thou
causest to err whomsoever Thou dost wish, and Thou leadest aright
* 3 & St * 0 3i * *
whom Thou dost will ; O^j^^i j*v^** perhaps they will take
* 330* 03* t '30*0
warning ; Oy^i j** 'M l°t they break their promise ; 0^^*i $\
0 £ >o
i? i A I ^ when they transgress on the Sabbath.
417. The Jussive usually conveys an order, being connected
in form with the imperative.
(a) It is used with J prefixed (the li of command, see § 366 c i)
in place of the imperative ; and if ^ or u* be also employed, we
O * 3 0 3 9*> 2 ***0* it fO * *'
may write J : thus Oy****^ J£>j~M aXH ^^U upon God
then let the believers rely (as to this verb's final vowel, see § 20 d).
We seldom find J thus used except with the 3rd person, which
is wanting to the imperative.
*
(b) With the adverb *$ (see § 362 dd) we use it to express a
0 03*
prohibition, or a wish that something be not done ; as juJu H do
' * * ~ * o io*> - 0 0 3*
not thou (inasc.) commit disorders ; *fj i\js>*$\ ^ CU»fi3 *^
144 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§ 417
, w *o 0 * bio ,6*6, %
^^oJUsJI j>)&)\ X* ,yJbt&».3 do not thou make mine enemies to
/'juice at my trouble, and do not place me with the wrongdoers.
(c) i. Also we find jussives in the protasis and apodosis of
0
correlative conditional clauses, which depend upon »jj or any
particle having the sense of o! (see §§ 406 and 413) : in the
protasis, when the verb is without O^9 aQd is imperfect ; in the
apodosis, when without \J and having an imperfect verb. Thus
•}Lw o^j^Z> L5i'l ^)-«-^ \$j-i O' if they see the Path of error,
' j J J c j } i 0 * *■ i< 0
they will adopt it for their path; *J^b <AL* ^ajs. oj\j ^1 if
worthless gain come to him like it (the former) he accepts it {also) ;
aJL5 j^j aJUU v>«|j O-* whosoever believes in God, He skill
direct his heart. If however o marks the apodosis, we must use
an indicative; as oU*-> *^5 ajjj (J-cJj (j-o whosoever believes
in his Lord, does not fear.
ii. The jussive may appear in apodosis when the protasis
contains an imperative verb; as ^X^5 j-ol^ S^Sj pjy^Jt J.
ly^M^b l^^fcb and thereupon {We said) Take the tables with
force, and command thy people {so) shall they grasp the best part
thereof; j^s. jaJLt JSL> JyUj* j>jp>U. J.wjl send gatherers
{and) they shall bring thee every skilled magician ; <iLJ I ^JaJI ^jj\
show me {Thyself and) I shall look upon thee. This construction
is explained in § 413.
Rem. b. The conditional sentence whose apodosis must be
introduced by o is further treated in § 587.
Rem. c. When (1) the apodosis has a jussive, connected with
a following imperfect by Jor^j, we usually employ the jussive
§ 419] A GRAMMAR. 145
»J/ » «// 0 J , J 0 , J f , , f 0 , ,ll* 10) 0
again; thus^»vJ jaaj^ ^fc) aac-Lcu La. Lo^.3 xU I I^»^i5 ^jl
//' #<? fewd fc> GW a yaw- loan, he will multiply it to you and
will pardon you : so when (2) the protasis has a jussive, connected
, , ) , 0 , , ) 0, 0
with the following imperfect by Jor^; as I^aJLajj I^Arj ^1
j^t^-j }$»£• aJJI ,jli t^>A*J3 {/*«/£ condone and pardon and forgive,
surely God is forgiving and merciful. Here also aAJ 0 &*# o^°
3 , JO • ■>.» /«/ J«/ 0*1,1 < , o ,o,,
OLk. aX^juj, ajIL Ait ^i£> UJLtf J***^ whoso believes in
$ , + , , - , ,
God and does right. He shall efface from him his misdeeds and
shall muse him to enter gardens {of Paradise).
418. The jussive is also used with the perfect's meaning, as
0, it,
we have seen in § 412, after ^ not or 1©J not yet ; but in these
cases we have the jussive's form and not its sense. Thus
L3 j<£>\± j^S has there not reached you a story1}
Note. When ^1 if precedes, we observe § 406 a ; thus
,it, ,0,0, 0, 0
Ijj I^o-jji j^ \J>\ if our Lord do not show us mercy.
419. The imperfect Energetic (see § 414) has several uses,
amongst which are the following : —
(a) With J verily (see § 361 c) prefixed to it in a simple as-
',0* ~1 OJ J 1, 0 , 0 0,, w , , C, , it , ,ii,
severation, thus w>l*U)t ty* j^y** ,>« ^JU 0**«J **Wj O^
thy Lord proclaimed (that) he would surely send against them one
who should afflict them with woeful torment ; and in asseverations
strengthened by an oath, thus OyZ** ^J> £y*~^ ^Ji iXi J*
3 J 0 , , - '
j^^ W say, On the contrary, by my Lord, ye shall be raised
(from the dead), then ye shall be informed of what ye have done.
(c) With J in the apodosis of correlative conditional clauses
OR. 10
146 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 420
in which case J must be prefixed to the protasis also, as
0 * OtO * Ci ' 1 "■ 'it* •" 0 0* 0+ 0 *
^j^UJ I sj^i> C>h^ ^J ^ J**i j^ O^ verily if our Lord
do not pardon us, we shall surely be of those who suffer loss.
420. The Imperative cannot be used in negative sense :
0 J
instead we must employ the jussive as in § 417 b. Thus jJb
repent thou, j^j ^ do not (thou) repent ; UoI£> ty JLj «j»J L> UoA£»
* + + + *
St b OtO
ajJ-J&^U speak Arabic to us, do not speak in English.
* * * * g x
421. The verb may govern a noun in its accusative (or
oblique) case, and by help of a preposition a noun which we then
put in the dependent (or oblique) case. We shall have frequent
examples of this government, not only by States and Moods,
but also by nomina actionis, agentis, et patientis and by other
nouns possessing verbal force. Sometimes the verb is understood ;
or it may lie concealed in a particle.
422. The accusative of a noun is governed by the verb, either
(a) as an objective complement, assigning a limit ; or
(b) as an adverbial complement, see § 440 et seq.
423. Most transitive verbs take their objective complement
in the accusative, as Q-> »».■■■*■») I J-*w «.-£> *$ do not thou follow
the path of the transgressors ; many however govern the object
by help of a preposition, as j.»Jj I ^Sz %9j O' when the plague
fell upon them ; some govern in both ways with the same
meaning, thus o^jj^s they accused him of lying, and O-^' USj^t
UjLjL t^jj^ We drowned those who charged with falsehood Our
signs. More frequently a verb which governs in both ways has
§ 423] A GRAMMAR. 14'
different meanings, thus a£~~o he perfumed it with musk, aj
he held it fast ; and diverse significations may attacli to the same
verb if used with different prepositions, thus w*£j ^_ to desire,
which is transitive and intransitive, has ^ s^j to like, sj£- *^£j
to dislike, and ^M ^*f; to supplicate.
Rem. a. Amongst ajjou^JI JUi^t the transitive verbs (see
§ 75) we include those which govern by help of a preposition
alike with those whose object is in the accusative. Besides being
0 0 ' „ ,
transitive as ^s> *ij to fall upon, the same verb may be in-
transitive as %3$ to befall, come to pass, thus J>a*J I ^3^9 so the
truth was established.
Rem. b. Dictionaries will teach a student how each verb
may be employed. Be it observed that, in Arabic, verbs to come
govern the accusative and require no intervening preposition,
thus a^JI / came to him, aj ly^ol / came to her with it, i.e.
I brought it to her, Ol^j* «>a*-JI *V the magicians came to
* O 3* ,
Pharaoh, jh&s- j*+»*o tjjl*. they brought a mighty encliantment
(see § 456 b).
Rem. c. A sentence may stand as objective complement,
thus &~*i O^9 ^° ^j-o We destroyed what he was making
(see §514). As regards J'S to say and its derivatives we may
note, that when followed by ajUC*. a narration one uses £)\ JtS,
»K/ w >o 3 3 , m 6 j
thus j£-A\ aJJI J$~>j ijj! Ji say thou, Verily I am God's apostle
S> 3 i * *
to t/om, and what follows it is commonly a quotation, as j^'A Jti
(j^ly**J >»y he said, Certainly ye are an ignorant people. Very
sparingly, it at all, is it permitted to use <Jl J^-
10—2
] 18 ELEMENTARY ARABIC I [§ 424
424. Two objective com piemen ts in the accusative may
follow certain verbs, of which there are two sorts.
(a) Those whose objects are unconnected, they being causa-
tives of which the ground form is transitive and governs an
accusative (see § 41 and § 45); thus O^Ly ^SaLM I bring you
messages, jl^J I J>JJ I «5^*j /fe causes the night to cover the day,
0 J *0*~ * J J * * 0* * * OJ l'
^£»Uol U Ij j<6» take what We have given you, ^iwlij t jb^&j L»
I will show you the dwelling of the impious, o-* ^~i O-0 ^JH
oW^ /Tig causes whom He will of His servants to inherit it : also
some other verbs of causative nature, meaning to give, lend,
etc. as ^s\j3jj U \$X& eat what We have provided for you,
* + O JOtO * * ul to * O O0+*
^ «.'■'. .*»)! J»!j-cJI UjJbt direct us (in) the straight road, jt^fiJ^i ^
* * O J * J J *
*iUw it (the calf) did not direct them (in) a (right) path, ^34^
w>t^>jOt t^i they lay upon you the evil of punishment, ^^yo Oj^lj
4-U o^o^U We appointed with Moses (a period of) thirty nights.
(b) Those whose objects stand to one another in the relation
of subject and predicate ; being (i) verbs signifying to make,
Cl s J * * '
adopt, name, appoint, etc., as l^ aJji*. he made it (into) atoms,
U*ol ^bUxLi We divided them into nations ; or (ii) ^*Xsd\ JUil
the verbs of the heart, which are so called because their action is
1,
mental ; for instance ^tj to see, think, know and its iv passive
. i .
^£>l to think, believe, ^U to know, j&) to deem, J\3 to think, etc.;
thus (;>:-« l^^uip / thought her patient, i?y&* ^i-*^ they find
him mentioned (lit. written).
Rem. b. Verbs like ^j and j**.} must also be reckoned
among ^^ajl JUil wris of (the organs of) sense.
§ 427] A GRAMMAR. 149
0*6-o j * it
Rem. d. Three accusatives are governed by wJJUt Jbwl in
z* * ijssoiaj 3 *
their fourth form, as *~~»> y£\+&\ y£ij*~* he will make you
think your actions foul.
426. All verbs, transitive and intransitive, active and passive,
may take their own j^Ua-o infinitives (see § 195), or their deverbal
nouns of the classes nomina vicis et speciei*, as objective com-
plements in the accusative. Thus U»j-o <Uj-^ he gave him a
4 * * + * to * * *
beating, U*J» *-*k he desired eagerly \ bj-3 w>^ ^e received a
4*0 0 3*6*0
beating, 1jLCL>t \jj+£Li\ ^^y we?'# puffed with arrogant pride.
3' 0 JO * j JO/}/
This accusative is called J^Ja*)l J^xi^Jt ^ absolute object or
j ^ o * 6, t ' 9 J 0 0
jjucloJI, and it may appear, or be ^Jo^o eliminated-, thus
£ 0**00 * . ' 4**3*0+ 403330*
UJU? J*oju Ae (foes n#A£ for UJL« ^L^c J»**j, also £**». A^Uaj
S ^ 2.» * 3 3 30*
for U*i». Ulb 4-JJaj he follows it in swift search. "We have given
(§ 202 Note) ^js- as derivative of the second form to which it
4 +4**033x1+1
serves as mac^dar, thus tjujc* btj^ j^jj^S I will chastise them
very severely ; but the macular of a different form may be employed,
or even of a different verb provided it be synonymous.
Note. Verbal nouns (nomina actionis agentis et patientis, etc.)
# J * O 30* j 3 O * 0+ 03***3 3*1*
can like finite verbs take JJUa-pJl JyU^JI; thus ^jnut aAJI
4 * 4 * *
t jujw blj^ £0^ is MgiV very severe chastiser.
427. It has been observed of nomina verbi (in § 195 and § 421)
that, when infinitives from verbs which govern an objective
complement in the accusative case, they can govern an accusative
instead of a dependent. This is especially the case if one or more
* Nomina vicis et speciei are treated in Wright's Grammar, vol. i. §§ 219,
220.
150 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§428
words divide an object from its governing infinitive, because a
dependent case cannot be separated from the word which governs
it. Also, when an infinitive is defined by the article, its object
must stand in the accusative, because the noun so defined cannot
take after it a dependent.
Rem. c. Beside infinitives (nomina actionis) there are verbal
nouns of similar force and significance which govern in the
same way.
428. With rare exceptions, infinitives govern by help of a
preposition, when from verbs which are transitive in that manner.
429. Frequently however an infinitive governs its objective
complement in the dependent with J (see § 453) instead of in
the accusative. Thus *,«£ J.£) %*„asC> L-J£» We wrote an ex-
position of every thing. So it is with certain other verbal nouns.
430. Nomina agentis can, like infinitives, govern a noun in
the accusative, as jt^U I w> Sx*c aAJ I God is a chastiser of the
people, or in the dependent, as j*$sA\ ^iUy* aAJI God is the
destroyer of the people.
Note. When derived from verbs which are transitive by help
of a preposition, nomina agentis must govern in the same way.
Thus tjyJ.L^ \sjj ^1 01 verily to our Lord shall we return;
<>JiU lyift ^^3 ^^> Syjj^s they denied Our signs, and were,
neglectors of them; j^^s- *SI^ <sul \y& they thought it to be
falling upon them ; ly*i ^->jJU. jUI w>U^ol ^^1 these are the
people of Hell-fire, abiding therein.
§ 435] A GRAMMAR. 151
431. What has been said in § 429 concerning J after an
infinitive, applies equally to a nomen agentis.
Rem. When by rhetorical transposition a finite verb, which is
transitive without help from a preposition, follows its object, we
may use the accusative, as jj^o-Uau ^-Jo I tyl£» 0^3 ^>«^ U
they did not injure Us, but they were injuring themselves ; or we
may employ J, as O^j-i j*d£ ChJ-^' ^ose who fear their Lord.
In like case a nomen agentis cannot govern an accusative but
requires J, thus o*Ail£» lyJ j£>\ ye dislike her. If the trans-
m
posed object be a pronominal suffix, bl may with the finite verb
be employed instead of J as in § 189 6.
433. Beside the nomina agentis, some other verbal adjectives
govern either an accusative case or J with the dependent.
Note. When derived from verbs which are transitive by help
of a preposition, these adjectives govern in the same way. Thus
^s. Jisi*. binding upon me, jjj3 *L5£ Jib ^c y& He is able
9 * # * at J) • t) it *
for eve?y thing, ^^JU %^J* JSL> <UJt God is acquainted with every-
thing.
435. Frequently the accusative depends upon a verb which
is O3»x=»~o eliminated : —
(a) In phrases of command, exclamations, etc. we must
supply the verb to which the accusative noun serves as Jyti-^J!
o o£
JJlkoJI (see § 426). Thus %* gently! for %* J*-©! deal gently,
islbj bto-rf hearing and obeying for it Us ^Jol^ l«-o-* *-o~*\ I
hear well and implicitly obey.
152 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§ 436
Note. The Arabian grammarians represent that »iUUw*j
stands for JLiU*^-/ *-*-*! I praise Thine absolute perfection (see
§ 41, rem. c).
<■ b , , * t>t
(b) In other cases the verb must be conjectured, as *%~>3 liUI
where we may supply Cwl thou hast come to people and a plain,
i. e. to friends and a smooth place ; ib La»j~« that is O j^
thou hast found for thyself roominess (see § 27 Note); iU*.j
that is J (see § 178) guard thy foot ; *sWj^ that is jJaul &?0&
behind thee.
8 at
436. The adverb oj and the conjunction ,jt take the fol-
lowing noun or pronoun in the accusative case instead of in the
nominative (as one expects the subject of a sentence to be)
because, so it is said, these particles embody the verb to see ;
i i to j )Zt- St
thus <*JJt j^j jjt verily (i.e. see) your Lord (He) is God,
^j^Ixj Uj Ojj-**i ^° ^*i *&! O' O>o-^j ^j' <fo M«y not
know that God knows wliat they conceal and what they reveal?
So in case of their compounds ^>0 and 0^3 (see § 362 ee and
§ 584 6) but, yet, O^ as though (see § 367 g), and when coupled
with a preposition, as »jb and £•>) ; thus sj^Xsu *$ ^.fc^st (j-CJj
&w£ two^ 0/ tffom do not know, aJJp <sul£b as though it were a
canopy, ^j-» aXM oW v^^m >©*' <&ras ^ not know that God sees'1.
In the above examples the subject immediately follows &\ etc.
and under such circumstances J (see §361 c) may be prefixed to
the predicate ; thus Ji%3 ^3 iMjJL) Ut verily we perceive thee
Q'OJssjZ* * 0*0 J + + , Si, Si
(to be) in error; ^^ j>**J &j\} w>l£x)t *jj-J ^Xjj <J* surely
§ 436] A GRAMMAR. 153
thy Lord is prompt with chastisement and certainly He is for-
giving and merciful. There may however be a separation,
between <j' ete- an(^ the' subject, caused by an adverb of time
and place or by a preposition with its complement; thus
j*& bJ^ ^r^z^h >»£■*• lajt O-0 C>! eerily enemies of you are (to
be found) amongst your spouses and children : when this separ-
^ 0 0 f
ation occurs J may be prefixed to the subject of ol or lA as
* »f * ** 0 f
Ij^.^ U ^>5I s/*a^ £for« indeed be to us a reward? If the
" «» i j * j2
predicate be negative we must not use J, thus *r*—*t *} *3J
ij-jjux^JI surely He doth not love the transgressors-, *-;-a3 ^ 0!
^j.-a. JLdt+J I «jfc.l i^rzVy PFe w/W rao£ a/fow £0 60 &>$£ M# reward of
the righteous : and so if the verb be a perfect without j3, thus
i^JfXZsb \^\£»^ ^$ASuauL*\ j>$&\ <jl surely the people despised
me and were just on the point of slaying me.
Rem. a. These particles, together with those given in rem. /,
are named lyJI^-lj &\ 'inna and its sisters. The word governed
9 0 *, 0
is called their j^\ noun (see § 525 rem.) and the predicate j^..
Rem. b. If the predicate is placed between ,jt or ,jt
and its noun, the logical emphasis falls upon the latter, thus
iLfc.U? J\jl* tjt your friend is with you ; but if the predicate
follows the noun, it receives the logical emphasis itself, as
dL*.Lg tjl your friend is with you.
Rem. a?. In § 353* we have mentioned ailCJI U *//« hindering
s> f$B$* 0 1
7?2a, which when appended to o'> <J'» O^9 an(^ O^ i8 followed
by a nominative; thus 4-£i j9=>**)£ U^t v/ow children are only
154 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 438
a temptation, ajSi ^^3^ Uj' tj-e-^3 know that your riches are
a temptation. The same influence is exercised by <jliJI J^<^a
(see § 362 m and § 367 g) as iU>5 Jlj^> ajI truly thy people are
generous.
Rem. e. A lightened form of these particles may be used.
/ (/ St * Si ' '
Rem. / The words C~J would that and Jx- or JjU perhaps
s> sjuissojSi*'
govern an accusative like oi etc-> thus OJo^**5 >»*^*J perhaps
ye will take warning.
438. An interjection usually precedes the person or thing
called ; while for vocative case we must use the nominative or
accusative.
(a) As has been noted in § 368 b 0! takes its following
noun without the article.
(i) We use the nominative — in the singular without tanwin
— when a particular person or thing is addressed by the speaker
directly and without explanatory term ; thus j^=w© b 0 Mu-
hammad! J^-j b 0 man! or Sir, Oj^j** ^ ^s*3* J^ Moses
said, 0 Pharaoh !
(ii) We use the accusative when the person or thing called
* j * "
is indefinite and not directly addressed, ^b*-j b somebody ! ; as
also when an explanatory term is appended, thus J*5tj*J ^ b
0 sons of Israel ! Uj^».t b 0 brothers of ours !
Rem. a. These rules hold good in the absence of an inter-
ne ^ ,0,, 0 oi *A»
jection, as \j+<o b^U c^il \jjj 0 our Lord, pour upon us patience.
Rem. 6. In the vocative ^£ — is usually shortened into —
(see § 317, rem. 6), thus^oyi b 0 my people! w>j 0 my Lord!
§441] A GRAMMAR. 155
but this abbreviation is not permitted with derivatives ending
in ^ _£_ or -j- from verbs whose final radical is ^ or ^j. Beside
^£ — and — there are other forms possible, as j»\ sjj\ J15 he
{Aaron) said, 0 son of my mother !
Rem. d. One word only, viz. aJJ t, may retain the article and
* ji-o / t Jul i *
follow b ; thus aAJ I b 0 God ! or irregularly aJJ I b .
(6) The noun following I^jI or l^l b, whether singular, dual
or plural, must be nominative and defined by the article ; thus
j Sno ,iii a** * dto fit *
^Ul Ij-jl 0 people ! \y*o\ Oi^^ W W 0 ye who believe !
439. When ^ is immediately followed by an indefinite object
and denies its existence we make the noun accusative and, if
possible, we omit tanwin; as ^a y\ <x)\ •$ <UJI God, there is no
god but He. Should an explanatory term follow, tanwin is re-
ft J ^ O fb 10 < .» *
tained ; as j&> jjs> O'j**^ Ua*l»- *$ there is no one knowing the
* * + +
Cordn by heart amongst you.
440. We have been treating objective complements since
§ 422 and shall now consider the adverbial complement. This
sort of accusative depends (a) when expressed by <jl^ _i_ to be,
exist (and by certain similar verbs, see § 442) on the idea of
existence or being, which is limited and determined by the
accusative ; and (6) on circumstances detailed in § 443 et seq.
441. When employed as the * logical copula lj\£> is called
a*a5L)l ,jl£» the incomplete kdna because to complete the sense
* In logic the copula is a word which unites the subject and predicate of
a proposition; it is known as itul^Jl the fastening.
156 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 442
there is required an attribute, which we must put in the accusa-
* * o * o* j * J j * 5
tive. Thus ^j+Aja*^ Uy lyl£» they were guilty people, 6jj*L3\
i^oJli \$i\£>5 they took it (the calf for their god) and were wrong
doers, ^jJLiim. oji \$>^=> j*J LJ5 We said to them, Be ye i.e.
Become abject apes. Also we may note ^^sliJ t ,>« ^£» be
thou (one) of the grateful, which is equivalent (see § 448/) to
Ij^li ,j3. But when the idea of existence is attributed by
O^ to its subject we can only employ the nominative, as
jj5 O^ there was an ape : here the verb is *UUJ I O^9 the
complete kdna, because it contains the attribute and requires no
other, for bji (jl£» would mean he was an ape.
* * JO
Rem. a. The subject is called ^j\£s ^^\ and the predicate
yj\£> j^»., while the natural sequence (see § 518) is verb, subject,
predicate ; this order may however be varied if sense allow.
O J 0 -
Rem. b. Sometimes <j\£s is ojjca—* eliminated, as t^a^wt
• j jot to * j oZ* j 1 , "
^ii'j Ij-jfc. I^AAJtj l^uJ^t^ tor jye, owe? obey, and give alms,
it will be foto* ,/or ^owr scwfe, where <>£> is understood.
" ' i**z
442. The same construction appertains to O^9 Ot^l the
sisters of kdna which are often used as synonyms of >j\£a without
relation to time, though they add some modification to the
simple idea of existence. In this class are j»\> _±_ to continue,
LJu _s_ to remain, jlo — to become, JJ» L*_ to be or do all day
- " «fi . * 0.
and not a few others, most of which may be <Utf : while u-J not
to be, which is always 4-o5U, expresses the negation of existence;
thus SJ'^Lo ^j ^^J in me is no error.
§ 444] » A GRAMMAR. 157
Rem. g. Instead of an accusative or a preposition with its
dependent ,jl^ Ol^».t may take as attribute a verb in the
imperfect, thus following the analogy of o^ (see § 408 d and ey
and § 409). With this construction we can connect that of
ajjU^JI JUil verbs of appropinquation, which are of two kinds.
(1) Amongst those which indicate simple proximity of the
predicate is ^V^^_ (see § 157) to be just on the point of: com-
monly its predicate is an imperfect indicative, thus l^^aj ^>^
they were on the point of killing me. (2) Amongst those which
indicate a hope of the predicate's occurrence is ^^ perhaps :
commonly it is construed with &\ and the subjunctive, as
jt^a^js. ^Uy-j O^^&J ^^ your Lord may perhaps destroy your
enemy ;' but it can take as accusative a pronominal suffix like
Jxf (see §436, rem./).
443. Brief allusion has been made in § 440 b to other ad-
verbial accusatives which determine and limit the subject, verb,
or predicate of a sentence, and sometimes the sentence as a
whole. These adverbial accusatives are of different sorts and
indicate : —
444. (a) The time in or during which an act occurs; as
* *i * * * *
ljul lyjji tj^jJL». abiding in them {the gardens) perpetually,
• O, , 0* 0 J J .» 0 %, 0
j*J*~> j>y> ^yJU*». j*ft>& 3t w/ien their fish came to them on the
day of their sabbath.
(b) Locality, direction, and extension, may in certain cases
take the accusative ; as tjlwj U*^» j^J he looked right and left.
Of this sort are the words given as prepositions in § 359.
158 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§444
Rem. a. We must use ^ /;?, when the place is definitely
specified, as j-*-aJI J^Xo ^i c**3l / stopped at the place
where al Husain teas killed. But with a verb meaning to remain
or the like u^°> and similar vague nouns of place, are employed
without preposition and therefore in the accusative; thus
&j\SLt> jj£~>\ <jt if it stand firm in its place.
Note. Certain substantives signifying time or place can be
JUu annexed (see § 475 and § 478) to a verbal sentence, but
9 - 0 %* * * » b - * +0<
only in the accusative case ; thus <J^»- jm*^ *$ Oy*~*i *$ J*$i
on the day on which they did not keep sabbath, fish did not come to
Rem. b. The accusative of time and place, illustrated in
above examples of this section, is called o^JsJ) the vessel (see
§ 221, rem. a) or A+i J^xA^JI that in which the act is done.
(c) The most important however of adverbial accusatives is
called JU*JI the state or condition, i.e. of the subject or object
or of both, while the act is happening. Thus ^$* £e»-j U-J
* i , * O , 0 , ,
U«>l ^Loc 4*33 jJt when Moses returned to his people angry,
afflicted i.e. in a state of affliction and anger ; ^)~>j-> l£*^ I >*
***»-j <£<■** O*? \j"^i ?*Wy 1 He it is who sends the winds, heralds
of His mercy lit. between the two hands of His mercy i.e. in
advance of rain ; ^ *x.»»L> Qj^. .» J I ^jSJ I the magicians were
thrown down prostrate {adoring).
Rem. a. The hal is iU*d a redundancy; thus^O; t^jt
■■ * 0 j * t&s*
ijjAi.^ Uj-iu ca# upon your Lord humbly and in secret. Here
the command to pray is of itself a sentence ; and the conditions,
§ 444] A. GRAMMAR. 159
grammatically superfluous, reply to wM» how ? as the accusative
called JUJI must always do.
Rem. b. The hal depends upon a regent ( JUJ t J<-©U) which
may be (l) a verb, as Ua-d ^~>3* j±- Moses fell down thunder-
struck ; or (2) a de verbal adjective, as U*.*».^C)I aAJI J^~y ^J
wr% / aw GWs apostle to you all, where yjy->j is accounted
a deverbal adjective, <J$~>) ^\ being equivalent to cJLyl /
have been sent; or (3) a demonstrative pronoun or other ex-
+ * *Zi*>l*0±' rest
pression having verbal force, as l^ ^ jJU. jU I w>U~ol ^X5^l
£fos# ar« the people of the fire, dwelling continually therein, where
db^l is equivalent to^^l jlij they are pointed out as.
Rem. c. The hal is (1) usually 5Ao aw adjective expressing
a transitory state, as Uww^yJU*^ ^^v*5^ tffoi'r fish came to them
manifestly : though the adjective may express a permanent state,
thus ,j-woJ-~« Ui^j Uj; 0 owr Zoro7, receive us dying, as those who
are resigned to Thy will) Ol^.^c ^o^a^Jij j^iJt^ ^^^ijt JU*.
6y\j He created the sun and the moon and the stars, held in
(a state of) subjection by His command. Sometimes however
(2) it is an infinitive with the meaning of a participial adjective,
as U*w 4LU »*AJi OJ^.1 7 received that from him by hearing ;
' * & * * 0" *-0*Ot*
or even (3) a concrete substantive, as ^M^iai ' -xrv*-^ UJLyli
them the deluge and locusts and lice and frogs and blood {in the
nature of) signs, separated by intervals. Lastly (4) hal may be
a proposition, as in § 583. There may be more than one hal, with
or without ^ and between them, as can be seen above.
160 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§444
Rem. e. In all our examples hal is oj& indefinite, and this is
most usual.
Rem. /. We call the subject or object to which a hal refers
JUJt *r*»*lo or JUJt j3, and it is usually Si,ouo definite as
happens in all our examples.
Note. Occasionally JUJt w^.1-^ is eliminated, as ^JJt
IjJu ^1 ?*»j^» ^) ws*»- as to that {land) which was bad its
herbage ate wo£ come forth except scantily, where a5U must be
supplied as cahib to \j£j.
Rem. g. Also it will be observed that in all our examples the
hal is placed after its regent : as a rule it occupies this position.
(d) The accusative may express an agent's motive and object
in the act, its cause and reason; as b^o-bj U«£. o$e>}\ call ye
upon Him out of fear and eager desire. Definition by the article
is unusual, this accusative being indefinite except when in con-
struct state (see § 475).
Rem. Only ^J3 j juo* a mental or intellectual infinitive can
be employed in this way; thus, in Koran, vn. 164 Sjjui* {we
warn them) by way of excusing {ourselves). Reply is given to
the question^ why? (see § 351, rem.).
{e) Other determinations and limitations of the predicate
may be expressed by an accusative called J*^! t/te specification;
* Os J ~* * <■
thus UJu **l\* w>U» David is cheerful in spirit.
t , o, % o ' 0 ,
Rem. a. Like JUJ1 this accusative is <LLoi see (c) rem. a.
It must be an indefinite substantive.
§ 448] A GRAMMAR. 161
Rem. b. We have mentioned in §^ 322 and 323 the accusative
which follows cardinal numbers from 11 to 99 inclusive : it is of
this sort, being called jjudt J-~<>j the specification of number,
and is most usually singular, see § 499.
446. Relations of time and place are designated by prepo-
sitions, as also are many ideal conceptions. We shall treat those
mentioned in § 447 as indicating motion from,, in § 450 motion
towards, and in § 454 rest at a place ; while in § 470 compound
prepositions will be found, over and above those detailed by
§ 355 et seq.
447. The prepositions indicating motion from or away from
0 0 *
a place, are ^>« out of, from, and qs- away from.
448. We designate by help of o-*
(a) the local point of departure from a place ; as (j-^^o*^!
^Cojl he expelled you from your land, fj^o \j.».j j*vt^ ULi jli
6U-J ! so We sent upon tJiem a plague from heaven, o*^». ^>«
from a contrary i.e. on opposite sides. Hence it is used with
verbs which indicate liberating, preserving, warning, etc. as
0}*j* J' £y*j&te&^ We delivered you from Pharaoh's people,
0x i s 0 - ulj 0
<x}*£y6 '^jtt J£* ^>o a warning from i.e. against everything.
(b) The temporal point of departure ; as *j*~y) I O-* from
the Hegira i.e. from 622 a.d.
Rem. a When used in any of the above significations, we
say that ,>* is employed ^Ijuj^J to denote the beginning.
gr. 11
162 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 448
(c) The causal point of departure, the origin and source
of a thing ; as <UJt ,>« <x*Jlst I know it from God, £*)> ^A*-
Jr-£- j O-* aw admonition has come to you from your Loi'd,
*js. ^Xfih-t^jl ^>« /r<w» among your wives oi'iginate enemies,
CjAcL O &j ^>Q^ &£ O' *^i ^* v**^ *•* t^ou dost not resent
anything of which we are the m'igin except that we believed the
signs of our Lord when they came to us.
Rem. a. Here v>o is employed J-JaLU to assign the reason
(d) The distance from anything, especially after words signi-
0
fying proximity, when in English we must render ,>* to ; thus
,>jwL^a^oJt y>« w*ij^ ^^ *♦»»; O* surely the mercy of God is
w^ar ft> M# righteous.
(e) The difference between two things when compared :
hence the use of v>« with an elative (see § 234) when coin-
JO J 4- 0 t
parative ; thus <u* v>~».t handsomer than he.
Rem. a. Sometimes ^j** with its complement is omitted ; as
Os**i O-i'JM J& 5j^-*^' jtjjl the last abode is better than this
world for t/iose who take heed to themselves, where CjjJt sj^ may
be supplied.
(/) The relationship between part and whole, between species
and genus ; thus 0*>yu£ \ o-^ j&>\5 j**^ J^ ^e sa^ ^5> an<^
* 0 * 0 0 ' 0 I* /O/
ye shall be of those who are brought near (me), 0>?>* J>3* O-* ^**"
the chiefs of Pharaoh's people, \^ \£&} &ij*M *•** \^iSLi\
inhabit this village and eat therefrom, U* ^,A-JI the fools among
us.
§ 448] A GRAMMAR. 163
Rem. a. Preceding a definite noun, which is usually plural,
sj^ may indicate an indefinite quantity or number; as ^>© tyL^
OLJsJI eat of the good things. Together with an indefinite
' *" *
dependent ,>* may be subject of a sentence as in the following :
i-> o s>" * j o , ,t ,
aJUI 0>^~? *$[ ^-a^ O-* V^ I* W) mischance befalls except
by permission of God.
Rem. b. Governing an indefinite noun after a negative par-
tide, ^>-o gives the clause an absolute and general sense ; thus
dJI sj^ j*& U ye him no god whatever.
• «2
Rem. e. In these examples ,j-© is used ^guxJUJ to indicate
' ' 2 *> -i j * - a ^ a e
division into parts, as also in Oi^^U! J£> y>* Leh.^i.1 TFa
produced all sorts of fruit ; sometimes it is employed w*»j£»jJUJ £0
indicate composition.
* * » - ©
(gr) After indefinite U and U^-* whatever we must use ,>*
before the explanatory word ; thus <U ,>« <su LjD Uy* wto-
ev#r tf^ow bringest us of a sigh : in this case we have a general
term rendered more definite, as also when sj^c indicates the
O W J 0 0 0
material of which an article has been made; thus ^^t^ O-* J>»^
a calf {made) out of their ornaments.
Rem. Here ^>* is employed oWU to explain.
o j 02 -
(h) Another use of &* is called >~«3 1 the specification ;
* , 2 <*» * O// - iri.0 * 0 + 0 * * - 0 „ i. & * ,
thus Olj-^iJI ^j-e j>a£^ V^UJL» 0>*>* J* ^**»*' **-«-J JPi?
visited the people of Phiraoh with years (of barrenness) and with
dimin ution of fr wit.
Note. There is yet another use of v>© in^^-i* UoJuili so
I Ve took vengeance on tk
11-2
164 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§449
0 *
449. By help of ^js- we designate distance from, motion
away from, and the like : hence it is used
(a) after verbs which denote setting free, forbidding, etc. as
sr*j*°\ j*^ ^"^i he Puts away from them their burden, ^»a Vo
jCl©J' 0s" he forbids them from the disapproved.
(b) After verbs which imply the removal of a covering, as
asking etc., thus aj^aJI 0s" ^^h and ask them concerning the
village, >^j»J' ^ c*i.>»£» thou hast removed from us the plague.
(c) After verbs which imply turning away, as ojs> tylib
v^-JLJlfc £^y wertf neglectors of it, <suULw <up ja& J5T« effaces from
him his misdeeds, wmo*JI ^^s* O^ cX^ l$J when the anger
became still (so as to be) away from Moses, ^U ^s. J^cL
/ will cause to turn away from {the direction of) my signs,
Uc Lo* \y&- they disdainfully turned away from that from which
he turned disdainfully, <Ufc w^j he avoided it.
450. The prepositions indicating motion to or towards a
place are ^1 to, ^JZ»> up to, and J to.
451. Opposed to ,j-° and <js> is ^1 which signifies
(a) motion or direction to or towards a place; thus UL/jt
a^yi ^J\ l».^5 We sent Noah unto his people, ^.^woJt aJI ft? Him
, , bio , ()M » «»
is the returning, J*»Jt ^t jJau I O^J ^ ^^ toward the
mountain, .j-^ ^t *~?»-.$t W* revealed i.e. indicated to Moses.
Hence, because inclination is implied, ^1 follows verbs of
excusing and repenting; thus »iAJ1 c~3 i" repent toward Thee,
^SJj JJ SjJ^t* 2^ is an excuse to your Lord.
§ 453] A GRAMMAR. 165
(b) In respect of time ^Jt usually indicates during a con-
tinuance ; as ^».t ^1 until a fixed term, <ULaH j>$± Jl during
all the tit i if till the day of judgement.
Rem. When used in the above significations, we say that
^1 is employed gl^^U to designate the limit.
(c) To show that one thing is added to another we use ^1
and hence dj^.1 ^1 (see § 23, rem. d) to its end, which is definite
but serves for etcetera.
452. In addition to implying like ^1 motion towards an
object, ^^fc. must indicate arrival.
Rem. c. When ^J^- is a conjunction (see § 367 k) it exercises
no governing power upon nouns.
453. Whenever possible J must be so translated as to indi-
cate abstract relations, those that are concrete being expressed
by ^1 ; thus C~* jib ^1 to a dead country, but jlLJ dUiw
w~* We drove it for the use of a dead country. This distinction
cannot always be preserved as is shown by §§ 429 et seq. where J
indicates an action's relation to the direct object which stands in
OJ/ i - 0 i 0 J J * Ot
place of an accusative ; thus^CJ ~~ol>\ or ^0£*~eu\ I advise you
(see § 423). More often however we employ J
(a) for passing on the action to an indirect object ; as
AAjiS ^yc Jli Moses said to his people, U J**-! make for us,
sf} aapUu he multiplies it to you, U^jlj U jJ&\ pardon {tlte
sin) to us and have mercy upon m : so with reflexive verbs, which
govern self as their direct object ; thus J-aJU ooj ^^aJj UJ
when his Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, and we find
166 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 453
the sense of ^^ in ^jj-bUU il<x±> ^ Ijt lo, it is white to
tlie beholders ; also by taking prats a 3 ihe direct object, we may
place here Ol^^-J I -J U aAJ ;*~j~j whatsoever is in heaven gives
\yraise to God ; and unless wholly idiomatic ^W sj*\ he believed
in thee. In these cases J and its dependent are not essential to
the clause, whereas it is ^different in
(b) the dative (1) of possession ; as j^^aJt <*Jj *£JIUJI aJ to
5 - j j*
Him belong the dominion and the praise, j'>»» <*J which lows lit.
»j/ ^ 0 £ * * * its*
to it is the (power of) lowing, ^ js\x*a\ ^z ^sSju they cling
to their idols, ^J j*±* better for me, ^U^JJ c-jj a daughter of the
king (see § 492) : (ii) of permission or right; as oUJaJI ^ Jo>o
he makes lawful to them the good things, «iU Q> I / give thee per-
mission : (iii) of advantage, contrasting with ^s- (see § 459 b) ;
as ȣb) U c* I pray on behalf of us to thy Lord but <suU Uj he
cursed Mm ; also 0~>SM *-o-*»j3 ^JJA a guidance and a mercy
/or £A« benefit of those who, ^5 &.+»&. W^' **** ^ W v~^b
Sj^.'n)! and do Thou write fm- us i.e. place to credit of our account
advantage in this world and in the next, ojub U this is owing
to us.
Rem. b. By use of J we express the verb to have, as
of
«.1 ^ U / ^aw? wo brother.
(c) Attention is drawn by J to the purpose or cause of an
act; thus ^ \ for tvhat reason? (see § 351, rem.), iol cJIS 3I3
o 0 /0<9 ^ j ^ * 0 J 0
>^iJ I ^JaxS ^ ^yi* awrf wfow a section of them ashed, Why do
' si 0 „
ye warn the people? ^yJaJJ w>U£> a book for the me of students,
A GRAMMAR. 167
j We diversify the signs for tin- use of a people,
* - 0 ' s 3 : i
j jsjj j^i I make mention of the day whereon
He shall gather you for the sake of (what is in) the day of
assemblage (of the angels) i.e. the day of judgement*.
Rem. Here J is employed J-JjtZJJ to indicate the cause.
(e) Also J marks the time of an occurrence j as *U- W)^
lilL^ ^~>yo and when Moses had come to Our appointed time,
jt>j*~* ,>* aAJ Jj*) on Moslem new year's day lit. at a point
of time when a night has passed from Muharramf.
Note. Many verbs indicating a state of mind, friendly or
hostile, advantageous or disadvantageous, take J of the person
towards whom the feeling is directed ; thus <d s^oj^ / hate him.
454. The prepositions indicating rest at a place are ^v *n$
into, w> at, in, by, with, ** with, along with, ^jJ or ^jd with,
beside, near, and ^s- over, above, upon.
455. We designate by help of ^y
(a) rest in a place or during a time, and motion into a place,
88 uoj^ L5f 1*3 Ol^o-JI ,-i U aJ to Him belongs whatsoever
Sit it s * s *
is in heaven and earth, jeXA &L-* ^J lyiJL*. He created them in
six days, p-I^J"})' ^ ^ UU*X» We wrote it for his benefit upon
" o Oft £ t St*
the tables, j^iJ^} ^ Jaiw UJ when a falling took place into
* This rendering is in accordance with Baidawf.
f Further explanation of dates will be found in Wright's Grammar, vol.
ii. §§ 110 and 111.
168 ELEMENTARY ARABTC : [§456
* 6 } b .
their hands i.e. when they grievously repented, <t*i U j.*=>>\
remember what is in it, cJ-JI ,J» on the sabbath day, ^J ^jl
jj-jj^U. ^Ij^^JI s»wrf gatherers into the cities. This meaning
' ' ' ' - » o £ ' f * * •
applies also to less concrete relations, as Ul»otj ^5*-^ ^ >*^'
^ pardon (the sin) to me and my brother and cause us
to enter into Thy mercy.
(b) By rights ^ means in the midst of as may well be seen
with a plural or collective; thus ^sX^\ 03j* ^^-^ \^5* J^5
m*X*o\} j^-oa5 ^i Moses said to his brother Aaron, Do thou act
as my deputy among my people, and behave uprightly.
(c) We use ^9 to state the subject of thought, conversation,
or writing ; thus 2u jjO I BJd) I ^5 J^ I w>U£ t The first book
treating of the Arabic language.
(d) Further ^J is employed with verbs of desire, as &t* w*f;
he liked it.
Sod
Rem. We say that ^ is used i^ijJaJJ to indicate time and
place.
Note. The phrase ly-i U£=>jb ^31 ^a^\ the land which
We blessed is equivalent to UL^jIj ^-Jl.
456. Whereas ^ indicates amongst we more often express
. . ■» ' j o< '
with w> mere proximity; thus J^-j-j ^y> I passed by a man,
Uub jrw^^ U^*j Wig s#w£ Moses with Our signs, Saaj Ujc*. ta£#
/£ writf^ /wee, ^5+1 la/*^ tneV associate bad luck with Moses,
iJ^Lo ^ ^J tfAera M ira 7w^ wo error, ^>y^^3 «^»'>o~J' J^^
(JaJb /Ze created the heavens and the earth rightly. Accordingly
§456] A GRAMMAR. 169
verbs with certain meanings govern w> and its dependent in place
of an accusative ; thus aj t^j-A-j ^ Uj ^j-«J i «ohi; that which
they saw not, d^Xc o-* %^L> O^h^i ^ they do not comprehend
anything of His knowledge, ^X** U-» O**^ -/*■* ^67? Ve wall oe
informed oj 'what ye have done, wAXJb <j^£~^ ^>j^' ^05<? w^
it * o j *oi
hold fast to the book, aJJt j** j l£j^1 / begin with the name of
God ; and w> with its dependent may take the place of a second
* * 0 ZtiO * 0 0 J * t t
accusative, thus t\js>*$\ ^ c^»J *n) do not cause mine enemies
it & Sit »J« Hi/
to attach ignominy to me, <*JJ t jbL\j ^r*j£=>> remind them of the
days of God. Sometimes a verb governs in both ways with the
same meaning (see § 423) ; thus <u»J ^hW ***■' ^ seized the
8 0' ' /» <i' J J J \ + "
head of his brother, and j*y *$$ iiw o J>+X} ^ drowsiness does not
it -o J , 0
seize Him nor sleep', aAJL> l^uxwt ask assistance of God, and
j x o - * m + j j o - * 3
^ju-J JU3 jlou JIj! 7%^ 0«fy eft? we worship and of Thee
* * * *
alone we ask assistance ; lyj l>»lk they treated it unjustly, and
«» j *■ * *
U^JJ* U they did not injure Us. Under this general idea of
contact are represented the following.
(a) The relation between subject and predicate, especially in
* O J i 0 , *
negative propositions ; as sj-~**y4*> o**J *-* we are not believers.
(b) The relation between an act and its object, especially
J - £ iO j , 0i0' t J 0 * O* O t 3 »t*
after ^Uj^JI JUi^l intransitive verbs ; thus ^jjl^Kj ^Aj-oIj
^e commands the appi-oved to them ; \j*o\ we have believed, but
^*JUJI w^> CUl ^ Aaw believed the Lord of the worlds: we
notice this particularly alter those indicating motion, which must
170 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§ 456
then he translated by transitive verbs (see § 423, rem. 6); thus
**i*Ot* 0 3333 0 %* 0 * * 3 it * \
0'i*Jb j^k-tj jsiftte wolio aj\j ^AJ3 this was because their
apostles used to bring them proofs, j*~)\ J*5tj~>t ^+> ^j}\** We
1 the children of Israel to traverse the sea.
(c) The relation between an act and its instrument or reason ;
3 *~ * ux» *o * *\ * a * \
thus t^ol ^>->JJI ^3* aAJI <jb jLils this shall be because God
*0 + ot + ++t$» * * *o*oi
is the patron of those who believe, aj L».j.».li si*)! w>la» ...... Up!
* * St tO wl J 0
0 1^*31 Jib jj-« TFe caused to descend by means of cloud the
water, and we produced by means of it {the rain) all sorts of fruits,
il Mf 0 OS- Q * Z * 3
*^t 0>y by God's permission, dj.*b Ol; a> ■»>* held in subjection
0 0 *> i- 330* 3 * 0*0* * 3 * ,0 * Oi- *
by His command, *j>j»o\ O' **3* oU—aw! 31 ^^^ ^J U^awjIj
^a^a^J I i)U*au a«d We revealed to Moses, when his people asked
drink of him, saying (see § 367 e) Strike the stone with thy rod,
* 3 30* 3 * * 0 3 J 0* * \ -
iJ^jLJu 1^3 1£» Uj ^^AjXJ *£JJJ£-» thus We try them by reason
2*0' * + + * 3 * 0 * *
of that in which they were impious, aAJ (j-^^U ^^^ Ujictj
0***0* oi* *
jJlju UUo-oJl^ We appointed with Moses (a period of) thirty
* at
nights and We completed them by means of ten {more), ^jit
* * * * * a <o ***30**0io
^y>*$&3 ^y{~>s> ^r^JI ^-^ ^^k^?l verily I have chosen
thee above {all) men by reason of {My putting thee in charge of)
My messages and because of My speaking {to thee).
0 * * vi*
Rem. c. To express without we can use j-Ju ; thus ,j~> JJI
W * 0* 0* 0i0*3 * 3d***
Ji&JI j^Ju uaf$\ ^ OSj-tQ those ivho behave proudly in the
earth without justice.
. a *» o
Rem. d. Some would place in this sub-section *UJt ^~»> by
3 *Oi " ' '
the name of God while others supply <^j£jI as above.
§459] A GRAMMAR. 171
Kem. e. Arabian grammarians have divers expressions to
denote the uses of w>.
Note. We find w> used in the sense of J*, thus <*->! \$&
jtv* *.9\j they thought that it was falling upon them.
457. By help of *«© (or %*) with, along with, we indicate
... ' * ° ei
association and connection in time or place ; thus ^j** <xX~*j\
send him with me : there are also less usual meanings.
459. We employ ^s- over, upon, above
* **0* J 0 *> + 'lit*
(a) in its local sense ; thus >»U*J I jtr^^ UW»j and We
spread for shade over them tJie cloud, J*jjd\ ^Xc ^yLj\ ^j then
He established Himself upon the throne : and a similar sense may
be discerned in j-c*.j) I v*v*^ &3 UJ when the plague fell upon
them, ^^A-Jt^ <>*)l yrtt^ ^P'j (md We sent down upon them
manna and quail, blj^ j^-^ JU>I I fear in your case a punish-
ment, O****** * J^3**^ <*l I \J+ uP0fi G°d fnen ^ei tne believers
rely, ^mM w*-o*it 0->J>JI those upon whom Thou hast shed bless-
ings.
(b) As implying disadvantage (see § 453 b iii) ; thus ^.^s
&Js> aJJI God was angry with him, j^s. a^u he sent him
against them. Also we use ^Xfc after words signifying difficulty
and the opposite ; thus w-oUaiJ I ^ov^ -*/■»* ^ *»«&» unlawful
to them the foul things, j~~*> <UJ I ^kz *iUi tf^is for God is easy.
j iio j * ,»*o ,
(c) To express an obligation; thus o^^\ p*^M' U^-/; ^JU
172 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 462
o e^^ » / «J 0-:
distinct delivery is incumbent upon Our apostle, ^Yt^ ***3i ^
^jUJI J>Ua* is not the covenant of the book taken upon them,
Si ' ' 0 '
^s> JUa»- it is binding upon me.
(d) To show superiority in one over another ; thus ^CLoi
^j-j^JUJI j^U He has favoured you above all creatures, ^e> 3A5
jj j3 '^2/ J^ and He is all-powerful over everything.
(e) To give the condition serving as basis upon which a
person rests ; thus »y.»l t ^3 ^5^ O^9 he followed the,
Christian religion.
j j - * 0 £
(j) To indicate the subject spoken of; thus I^Jjaj *$ o'
Jia»J I ^J dAJ I ^s. that thty should not say concerning God other
than tlie truth.
Rem. a. Other uses exist ; as ^o-Cu J>*-j ^^ j^> j^^*-
an admonition has come to you through one of yourselves.
462. With an oath (>©-»»$) we employ 3 by provided a sub-
stantive follows and there is no verb of swearing. The comple-
ment (^— a) I vl>*0 may be an affirmative verbal proposition,
and the verb may be imperfect, in which case J is prefixed to the
energetic form; thus ^>JjuJ ^j3 by my Lord, ye shall be
raised.
463. While commonly reckoned among prepositions I) as,
like is a substantive and synonymous with JJU likeness (see
§ 482/). We find it in IJ^ thus, iU»x£b i» /i&e manner, so, and
(jl£» rw though.
§ 469] A GRAMMAR. 173
Note. Attached to J we find 4il£JI U tf/ee hindering md
(see § 353*), thus Ay) I ^ U£> lyJt U J*».t tw«^ for us a
god like their gods.
466. To signify at the side of we employ juc ; thus aJJI^
jfJ^e. j**.\ ojUft awd w?7A 6iW M^re es #/*£«£ reward, j^ Uj
d) juc 6# virtue of the covenant He has made with thee, 4jjjka»j
JwjaJ^I^ Slj^UI ^ ^Ajuc l^&o they find him written down
* Hi 't
with them i.e. mentioned in the Old Testament and Gospel, U-JJ ^1
aJL3I jut ^Ajjlk i-mfy ^e cawse o/* £^V gwoc? aw^ «7/ foc& lies
hidden in the counsels of God. When used of time jug may
indicate a particular moment, thus lyjU£» ju* C-%UjI //<?# swre
at the time of writing it.
467. Signifying between v>o indicates an intervening space,
thus */»^ t 0*0 O^^*5 1 O^ between the Flood and the Hegira.
Of common occurrence is ajju yj*j between his two hands i.e. in
his presence, and ^^ Jul ^j between their hands i.e. before
them ; thus aZo+^j i£j*> Ot*> before his mercy.
468. Signifying beneath C^."i indicates the lower part; thus
5j.SfJJ I Csfcj // Hi A /• ^ //Vr.
Rem. 6. Its opposite is Jy afow ; as ojLt JJy jJbU) t yh$
and He is all-powerful over His servants.
469. Signifying below sj}> often indicates something inferior,
and
{e) that a quality belonging to one is not possessed by
174 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§470
* \ , J 0 JO * , i w >o j JO
another; thus ^Xi'z C)5* j*r**3 ^aJLtfdl ^-U the good are
among them and those who are not that are among them.
,6 , 0* , 0 * * J
Rem. Beside Ji«e, o^> w*»*J and jjjj, there are other
nouns in the accusative (see §§ 359 and 444 b) which are em-
ployed as prepositions : for instance,
,0* JJ/ /« 8t /O/ OJt^c
(a) J-3 before of time ; thus ^J £il O' J** *i jo~**\ '
have ye believed Him before that I gave you permission. Its
,o* *•"■* *■ " o -Ox oio*o j ej ,
opposite is jjo after ; thus ly»/}kol juij u°j*$ • (^ 1j*v~a3 ^)
^o not ye commit disorders in the earth after its ordering.
m*+ t < ~" 0 * oj
(c) t\jj behind, thus Mj$ j&->\ look behind thee : equivalent
y 0 s 0 } * D , * ' J OP /(/ 0 J/J/
is oU*k, thus j9K»X±. Uj jiM^d O-tt U ^Xju He knows what
is before them and what behind i.e. what is and shall be.
0
470. Compound prepositions have usually <>* as the first
part, and the second part must be in dependent case. Thus
0 * 0 J sO Zo* *0'6 0 * £ - J - 0 3,
(b) C*a»J O"* 5 as jM^ ly£a*J |>* i£j**3 OU> AXe*.jj>2
and He shall cause him to enter gardens under which flow the
runnels of water.
(c) J^S O-? and juu ^ ; as UL>| ^JlJJ J-i ,>« befc
* i o 0*0 *o* * Zj
thy coming to us, ^~>yt> ^**J**> O** k**^ j£ t^n after
0 * 0 J J 0 * * • «« , 0
(the aforesaid) We sent Moses, \Jjju ^.© jJ^^iJLi. l»>»o wtf
Aaw #0 wrought in mine absence after my departure, t^JL^c ,>^'
U»x*j ,j-© I^jU ^ oU*J t those who do evil things (and) then
after that repent.
Rem. e. The construction may sometimes be made more
§ 473] A GRAMMAR. 175
■»'*' - * * ' ° '•*
concise by omission of a preposition; thus 4*$.$ ^*>y* j^*-' 3
0 , <■ j * , o , Q*o
UjUUoJ *^.j Om V"' instead of <c«y> <>* awe? Moses chose from
his people seventy men for Our appointed time.
A*n, f . X*. Crxrjiy^J^
471. The infinitive (see §§ 195 and 426 to 429) like other
nouns is indefinite unless defined by the article or otherwise ;
thus^iis j&j O-* *^ j£A> i<* tJverein, 0 you, is a great
* ' ' ' TIT"
9 ' ' » J J // / -0 »<« J * itO * Sno Si
trial from your Lord ', ^^ ^yJUw J^jOI ^*>o»Jt CH^' O*
,0 & * , , 0* 0& , 0 ** 0
UjjJI SLaJI j-i aJ^j ^^j y>* 1^7/y £m?s# w&? c/wse the calf {as
a god), wrath shall overtake them from their Lwd, and ignominy
in this present life ; j^-ij ^J\ ^jj^uo t^Jli they said, It is a way
of excusing (ourselves) to your Lord.
472. The rection* of nomina agentis has been treated in
§§ 430, 431. They and nomina patientis (originally adjectives,
see § 80) are frequently used as concrete verbal nouns, desig-
nating a person or thing to which the verbal idea closely attaches
itself, while remaining immovable. The Imperfect is nearly akin
but being part of a finite verb indicates motion or renewal.
Note. We retain Professor Wright's term nomen concretum
verbale, though it might perhaps be as well to employ the word
participle, here and elsewhere.
473. For a specific indication of time we must look to some
other word in the sentence; thus ^a^LJ^ ^fW J^U* JU>
0 j * 0 j* 0 ■* Si * 0 j ~ ,
OS**}* j*i*5* ^1$ j**A~j he answered, We will massacre their
* By a word's rection, we mean its influence in regard to construction,
requiring that another word be in a particular case : the corresponding term
is .Lfr* action Oj government.
176 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§474
sons and we will save alive their daughters (lit. women) and verily
we shall be subduers over them, where ^* gives a future sense to
all three clauses.
(a) In a clause which is not circumstantial the concrete
x O * * & * +
verbal noun refers to a present or future time ; thus Ui..t>£-> LJIi
d^Ul-) ^a J.»J ^J >»-jJt J9Y&- but when We removed from
them the plague until a fixed term, which they were about to
(/ton ; (j^l*^ tjjl^ U J*Mf$ AjJ ^a Lo j*;* g^JLfc ^1 as
to these people destroyed is that (religion) in which they were, and
0 » o j a ' bis** d^ x j
tain is wlmit they were making ; j£\£* ^r&^i ^aX^- ^£ JJ I $b
9 0 * 0 J 0 x
0-*>° ^^LS -^ it is who created you, and one of you is an un-
believer, and one of you a bdiever \ aj! ^>© aj U5U lo^o I J 15
^-j^o^oj »iW ^>a*J Ui tltey said, Whatever sign thou bringest to
us we do not believe in thee.
(b) But the concrete verbal noun in a circumstantial clause
refers to the same period of time as the ruling verb ; see § 583.
The Imperfect Indicative will be found used in nearly the same
way; see § 408 e.
474. When attached to a verb as adverbial accusative (see
§ 444 c) a concrete verbal noun refers to the same period of time
. * fi J ' 'M J J OJ
as the verb itself ; thus Ij^a-w w>lJ' l^-Uot enter the gate pros-
trating yourselves ; t^i O-i^^ £>«* ^lo-jJ He shall make
them enter gardens to abide therein, an instance of jjJLo Jli. Ml
indicating th# future.
§ 478] A GRAMMAR. 177
475. A noun, when governing another noun in the dependent
9 " j
case, is called by the Arabians w*La* annexed, and is said by
European grammarians to be in construct state. It is shortened
in pronunciation by omission of tan win or of the terminations ,j
and o» in order that the speaker may pass quickly to the governed
word, which is called aJI oLo^Jt that to which annexation is
made. Their relationship is known as Silot annexation.
id ' 0* i * * 0*
Rem. There are two kinds of annexation 38iaia»J | asL^Nt the
proper annexation and dLiuiaJt j+c> 4iLo*^l the improper annex-
ation : in the former ^JLa«J I may be tej** defined or S^u un-
defined ; in the latter it can only be »/&, except when the article
is prefixed, see § 489.
476. In the construct state of a governing noun, followed
immediately by the dependent of a governed, can be represented
all ideas which we express in English with the preposition of.
Thus 5j.iJ I ojj~* the chapter of the cow, j**«J I S^U. in presence
o2l*,,0,s 0
of the sea i.e. situated by the sea, jJ«j}\ J*+~> t^j ^j\ if they
see the path of true direction. A word may be governing and
governed ; as ^jJS >>* ^^ ^e Ruler of the day of the judge-
t x J *■ > i ( 0 J*i* * Of. 0 JO ,1
ment, ajj OUu* the appointed time of his Lord}J&j j*\ ^Xm~z\
have ye hastened the affair of your Lord ?
478. (a) The governed word (*J1 oUloJ') in proper annex-
ation may be nomen substantivum*, a pronoun or other word
* We use nomen substantivum here as in § 190, to include primitive
nouns, infinitives, and simple substantives.
GR. 1 2
178 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§478
regarded as a substantive, or an entire clause (see § 488). Thus
^jliJI Sjy* the chapter of the overreaching, a***j \j~>** Moses
and his people, ^J&\ C~Lui. oJ^T gUJj U3lX \y>££> C#^b
and tlwse who deny Our signs and the meeting of the last (dwelling),
vain are their works, ^*£>k»jj U oUJ» ,>* \^£=> eat of the
good things which we have provided for you, \3j*& CH*^ ' W5 ^
story of those who disbelieved.
(b) The governing word (^La^Jt i.e. the one in construct
state) must in proper annexation be nomen substantivuni * in
which category are accounted prepositions, as \^%a\ jaj after
its ordering ; so also are numerals, for which see § 496 et seq.
Thus 03J* *r>j the Lord of Aaron, **>y>\ Jb$ U>3I3 they tasted
the mischief of their doing, j*j»o)\ OlJ^ j*t^ *^l3 md G°d W
well acquainted with what is in possession of the breasts. An
adjective in construct state is improperly annexed (see § 489)
unless, as in the following examples, standing in the position of
a defined noun so as to have the force of a substantive ; thus
4».y l {j~»*. the handsome (part) of the face or even the handsome
face, ol^ll^ *^wJU I ^U the Knower of the hidden and of the
manifest. As regards superlatives, see §§ 486 and 493.
Rem. a. In proper annexation the article J I can never be
* * ***
prefixed to ^5Lo«JI, in the improper it may (see § 489).
Note. The annexed word can be governed by a verb ^J^.*
eliminated, as ^liJI >e^j ^JU3 £■<>■*»-*' J>$4 v»**oa».> j>$t make
mention of the day whereon He shall gather you for the day of
* We use nomen substantivum here as in § 190, to include primitive
nouns, infinitives, and simple substantives.
§ 482] ■ A GRAMMAR. 179
assembly, this will be the day of general deception : here we must
0 J Oj
prefix j^3'.
480. Instead of having an adjective attached to it, a noun
may be in construct state qualified by another noun ; as
Jjlo J^.j a sincere man: this is common in specifying the
yi J J 0
material, as LS^ J.a^ a calf (made) of ornaments.
482. The following substantives are used to express the
whole, the part, the like, and the different, by being annexed
°. ' J
(oLfluo) to a dependent.
3 ■»
(a) Jib the totality, the whole. If the leading substantive
5 j
is defined and signifies something single and indivisible, J^»
0,0*3 £ 3
means whole as C^J I J^ the whole house ; if it is definite but
plural or collective, we must render J£» all, as O'^oJUt J^ all
tlie fruits, jiJt J^» all the cattle ; if it is indefinite J^ means
* J O j 0 s* Si * 0 * x 0
each, every, as \j \y**yi *) ^ J^> Ijttf O* i/* ^# *** «*^
o , 8 j o , , , o *
sign they will not believe in it, %^ J^ Cuwj [^+-°-j My
mercy comprises everything. In § 402 a will be found ^Ul J>=>
#v£r# £r*6e : here, as may be learned from the context, ^131 is
collective (see § 305, rem. e) but is used as a singular.
* , I j
(6) *.*♦». M« totality, the whole, much resembles Jl£> ; we
1 , 0 i 0'
may however say U-^». >»£J1 fo you all (see § 444 c, rem. 6 2)
but not ^ Jiff I.
(d) j*a something different may usually be translated other
J J »' I O 0 3 - - , il -t> 3 3 0 3 /~1 t
tl«ni : thus •j*&. 4JI ^-o^^JCJ U aJLJ t tjj^l worship Godr ye
12—2
180 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 486
0\ e j oi h * , o ,i
kan no god other than Him ; lyJI jo&jlA *M\ j**' shall I seek
,o, ?«£ o»o t,, - Zt-o , z ,
for you a god other than Godl J+& ^)>3 yrr^ t>*JJ» O-^t O^
joj J** l£^' the wrongdoers among them substituted a word,
* " ' 0 ,
other than that which was told them. For j+xj without see § 456,
rem. c.
Rem. a. We employ j*p as a negative, thus <>£«-© jt^ im-
possible ; but if repetition be needed we must after the first
negative use ^ followed alike by a dependent, thus t>^' b\j«a
* # d $m ++ oo,, t o ,o-a o , oo,, *■ © .» o-
,j>JUJI ^ >ov«^ w>^.«a*«/ 1 j-^ ^ovs^ *£*♦**! ^ way of those
upon whom Thou hast shed blessing, other than those who are the
objects of {Thine) anger and are in error.
0 0 J JO ( . ., .
(/) JJlo likeness, like, as aJJU ^e ^£0 of it, like it.
oo m .
Rem. a. Similar in sense to JJU, but without case signs, is
J) see § 463.
486. Properly annexed, in construct state, are found deverbal
1 • • » ' ol
adjectives expressing the superlative, of form J**l (see § 234) or
JUi (see § 242, note 1); thus 0**»»tjjl ^-J siolj and Thou
, ,0/0 jO , , Oi,
art the most merciful of the merciful, 0<^^' J**- *^h and
Thou art the best of those who pardon. Here one item is made
to stand prominently out of a whole designated by the depen-
dent; and being in this annexation definite substantives (see
§ 478 b) Jjtdl and JjJ need not vary in gender or number
(see § 493, rem. a), thus sj5\j^\ ^=>\ the greatest of the cities,
,j , o £
lv ;,...». I the best thing that is in it.
§ 490] A GRAMMAR. 181
at
Rem. a. Being superlative J^i first stands in annexation of
" O J 3^3 3 ill ,1
the same sort, thus 0**e>»M cb' ^ I am the first of the
believers. The other ordinal numbers ought not so to be used,
for they are nomina agentis from transitive verbs, see § 328.
• l jS * O «■ 6«0 £
488. When O' governs a verb (see § 415 a) it is ZjjJhaJ I ,jl
the 'an which with its verb is equivalent to a macdar (see § 195)
and the same construction appertains to the indefinite U (see
§ 353*). Thus UiL U jl) ^^ UJli J,f jll ,>o U^J we
were afflicted before that thou earnest to us and after that thou
hast come, which is equivalent to o-*3 &V ^W5] J*** O-*
UbJ **\Z**~o jju before thy coming to us and after thy coming
0* J 'JO/
to us. Clauses of this sort frequently stand as aJI ^il^t^JI (the
second member of an annexation, see § 478 a) in lieu of a
dependent.
489. When improperly annexed the noun in construct state
must be an adjective, thus A».y I ,j~»». Iiandsome of face, £ij~>
wjUxJI prompt of chastisement. Here the dependent though
always defined by the article exercises no defining influence upon
its governing word, which remains lj£> (see § 475, rem.) and
can be defined by the article, thus w>U*JI *jj~J\ xUI God the
prompt to punish *.
490. Except by poetic licence, nothing can intervene between
a noun in construct state and its following dependent, conse-
quently an adjective qualifying the first member must be placed
* This sort of annexation is treated in Wright's Grammar, vol. u. § 80.
182 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 492
J» / 0/
after the second ; thus^***^! C^-o-*^ O*-*^' Vj *U J^aJI
pram belongs to God, the Lord of the wo?'lds, the compassionate
and merciful.
492. In proper annexation if the second member be indefinite
the first is the same, as jtn^ J*yi >->\J& j&kz ol*.l ^*J!
verity I fear in your case a punishment of a great day. But if
* 0 * 00 +0* Of.
the second member be definite so is the first, as j*$&\ 1*^9 1
lyjjU-oj u°j*$ I 3j{«~* We caused the people to inherit the eastern
parts of the land and the western parts of it. If we desire that
the first noun be indefinite while the second is definite we must
J vt 0 0
employ the preposition J, thus J*>j>AJ t>jl a son of the man
(see § 453 6, i) : certain words of wide signification may however
remain indefinite even when followed by a definite dependent.
493. The examples in § 48G have each its dependent
(aJI w^'-a«JI) definite and therefore partitive : if indefinite the
dependent must be explicative, as 'UJ J-aJt ^>(b they are most
excellent women, lail*. j+±. <UJI God is the best preserver. After
the superlatives Jjl first and j^.1 last the indefinite dependent
is likewise explicative \ thus &>l Jjj! the first verse, jb^j j±\ the
last day.
Rem. a. If the dependent be definite the noun in construct
state (o'^Jl) may resume its characteristic attribute as an
adjective and conform in number and gender to the object or
objects mentioned ; thus v>5l juoJ I \£j& .5* it is the largest of
ike cities, yjj\j*J\ oIj^^ ^>fc they are the largest of the cities.
§ 496] A GRAMMAR. 183
494. Attention has been drawn in § 480 to a way of specifying
the material from which any thing is made : this also may be done
by putting the material in apposition to the object, both being
either definite or indefinite ; thus ojju ^o \^~*y* j>£ SsLJ\^
I ju^i *$***■ and the people of Moses after his departure took for
themselves (as god) a calf of red gold.
495. Of two things which are identical, the second may be
in dependent case and the first in construct state.
(b) This happens when a specific noun is preceded by a sub-
stantive designating the genus, as w>Ux)l Aa*JU Zjy* equivalent
to w>UX) I A**Jli ^jA ^H I S^-JI the chapter which is the opener
of the book.
496. It has been mentioned in § 321 that cardinal numbers
from 3 to 10, when in apposition to the things numbered, agree
with them in case ; but when placed in annexation before them
(see § 478 b) govern a plural dependent. A plural of paucity
(see § 307) must be employed if the substantive have one ; thus
jSA aw ^i u^j^)^ w»1^*-J1 JX^ He created the heavens and the
earth in six days.
Rem. a. Exceptional is £5U one hundred which, in dependent
singular, always follows the governing numeral, see § 325.
Rem. b. Should iUJt £©.». the plural of paucity not be in
0 *' o* > o ,
common use, there must perforce be employed Sy£Ot %+*. the
plural of abundance.
Rem. c. We must remember that a sound plural is plural of
184 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§499
paucity, thus Obi %+-> tyjt its verses are seven in number;
{^£\ is a generic noun which forms a nomen unitatis, being also
a plural of abundance, see § 304, No. 28 and § 306, rem. a). If
0
however an adjective specifies the objects numbered, o-° must be
employed as in § 448/; or the noun must be put in apposition to
- J 0 J 0 <■ <Di 5 / »J 3
the numeral, thus ^j^+X*** axjj\ four Moslems, Olu£* ww
six believing women.
499. We have seen § 444 e, rem. b, that cardinal numbers
from 11 to 99 take their objects numbered in the accusative
* J x * 0 < J «. 0 *■ * J - - 0
singular ; thus %s*.j O***" a*** ^5* jU*.l Moses chose from
his people seventy men, aj! ijJte- (jl©-2 ^ybj <uC« 3»w A chapter
written at Mecca and it (has) eighteen verses. Very rarely they
are followed by an accusative plural, as U-©t l^Ls- UUj! twelve
nations. In gender the tens (OiL>***> Op!}U, etc.) are common ;
but units conform to the gender of the noun denoting the objects
numbered, thus tut ZjL& liol c«..a».Jt twelve springs gushed
00,
out (c>t* being feminine, see § 290 a).
506. Cardinal numbers agree in gender with nouns denoting
the objects numbered according to the following rules; there
being constantly borne in mind the peculiarity explained at
§319.
(a) The numeral agrees in gender with the singular of the
substantive denoting the objects numbered, even if the plural
is of different gender ; as ^>~w v~+m. five years (the singular
§ 513J A GRAMMAR. 185
2U~> being feminine), oULo*; ZsuJ nine Ramadans (the singular
sJJLaj being masculine), *£o*; j£& a-hUj eighteen men.
(b) When the objects numbered are designated by a noun of
general signification, its grammatical gender is usually followed
by the numeral ; as lb L~»l jL& \;3\ twelve tribes (the sing. Jsuw
being masculine). But if another substantive be attached which
determines more precisely the real gender of the objects, then
the numeral agrees with the second noun ; thus lto5^l ^aUjuxS
\+*\ IbUwl cjJis. We divided them into twelve tribes (i.e.) nations
(the sing. <UI being feminine).
512. To every <&+** totality, sentence there must be a subject
and a predicate, the latter being called JJ*~^\ that which is
0* J * 0 J 0 *
supported, the attribute. The subject is called aJI j>;,.,0)I that
by which (the attribute) is supported, and the relation between
them is termed jlw^l the act of supporting or causing to lean,
attribution.
513. The subject may be a noun substantive, as *%^\ J15
a*j 5 ^a the chieftains of his people answered ; or an expressed
pronoun, as O^j-** h kS*^ ' .** ^ ** ^ie guidance and the cri-
tenon, SjSx* ^ it ts an excuse ; or a pronoun j£L~* concealed
in the verb*, as ^1 ^ ^LS^cl We drowned them in the sea,
J J* O J
.j He giveth life and causeth to die ; or a conjunctive
• Tables of these pronouns, prefixed and suffixed, are given in Wright's
Grammar, vol. i. § 89.
186 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§513
0 lO*y
clause (see § 572), as o^t ^ ^3 otj-o-Jt ^ U aJJ -^~j
there praises God whatsoever is in heaven and in earth, ^z)
\$jJ&> O-i^ ' t^6 unbelievers have asserted ; or a preposition with
its dependent, as &> &$> in ^JJ3 Oj-> ^v^°3 O^*^-^ ' jvr*
the good are among them, and those who are not that are among
tliem. The predicate may be a noun (substantive or adjective),
as jj-^oJUJI wJj ,j-6 J$~>j u&lj but I am an apostle from the
Lord of the worlds, ^»*£»J \ j-ij^ 1 $* He is the potent, the wise ;
* 0 j * *i * * *
or a verb, as ^~>5* Jtit U-^ so when Moses awoke ; or a prepo-
0 J
sition with its dependent, as ^ui ^ they are in it ; or an adverb,
as La Ul /tfwi A^re ; or a conjunctive clause, as^^iU. ^JJI ^a
He is your Creator, aIxs U IjJb this is what did it or this is
what he did. Be the predicate what it may, every sentence
beginning with its subject is 4U©-j1 iU-». a nominal sentence
(which may be simple or compound, see §§519 and 520), thus
^q.KtM ^jkUt ^a He is the sublime, the mighty, aAj u°j*$\ Oi
surely the earth belongs to God, JJlil ^p*** Moses awoke. On
the other hand we call A;)** 5-U-*- a verbal sentence (simple or
compound) any one in which the predicate is a verb preceding
its subject, thus aJUI ^a^\ God is self-sufficing, U^Iaa*. oj&i *9
^ guarding of them both does not weary Him ; or in which the
verb represents both subject and predicate, thus \^iy they turned
l *■ ^ » JO,
aside. The subject of a nominal sentence is termed IjJU^J I the
s
inchoative (except when put in the accusative by a preceding ,jl,
£ jo
for it is then known as >j\ J9~i\ see § 525 rem.) and its predicate
§516] A GRAMMAR. 187
i 1 the enunciative ; while the subject of a verbal sentence is
■> '•' . ,. * * * *
called J*UJ t the agent, and its predicate JjUJ 1 the action or verb.
«» +
Rem. b. Here Professor de Goeje adds the following : —
The difference between verbal and nominal sentences, to
which the native grammarians attach no small importance, is
properly this, that the former relates an act or event, the latter
gives a description of a person or thing, either absolutely, or in
the form of a clause descriptive of state (see § 583 a). This is
the constant rule in good old Arabic, unless the desire to
emphasize a part of the sentence be the cause of a change in
its position.
514. A verb with <j' or U (then called macdariyah, see
§ 488) may serve as subject either to a nominal or to a verbal
sentence ; thus J^SI o' ^5^ iJt**- that I say so and so is
incumbent upon me.
515. The predicate may (see § 513) be a preposition with its
dependent, and when the subject precedes we have a nominal
sentence ; thus ,^-Ju^JU iJUJI the result is to the devout. If
however the preposition and dependent stand first, thus aJI
ym^Q) I the returning is to Him (see also next section), we may
call the phrase S**j»b *Jl*»- a local sentence (see §§221, rem. a
and 527 a).
Rem. The logical emphasis falls upon the later word as in
§ 436, rem. b.
516. If the predicate be an adverb or a preposition with its
dependent, and the subject an indefinite substantive or a clause
(see § 514) containing a finite verb governed by ,jl, then the
188 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§ 517
4 J , - 0 J * * ,oiO* , , i
predicate must precede, thus ^£JJ* \Z*~~j ^i^ «Jy*s)l J^t
a****)} he took the tables and in their inscription were guidance
and mercy, jl^*- <d it lows lit. a lowing is to it : but either order
is permitted if the indefinite substantive carries with it an
******** r, , ,
adjective, expressed or implied, thus^l w>l*U ^J or w>'^
j9\* J«J' to them is a painful punishment. In case of a sentence
expressing a wish, however, its subject if indefinite must precede,
as j*&s> j>%* peace be unto you ; and should the subject follow,
J - i *> J J 0 , ,
it must be defined, thus j»%J\ ^o&M.
517. The subject also necessarily follows its predicate in
a nominal sentence, (a) when the I ju** contains a pronoun making
, * , j * St &
reference to a word in the>»»., as \^oXo jtjjl ^ its master is
* " 'OJ " ,ut S
in the house ; (b) when the Iju^o is restricted by Ui| or *^t, as
J , ,OiO , J , ,, , 2 ' OJO* ,, 0 , * J St lO J S , * it >o t i
O-st-oJ 1 obey God and obey the apostle, but if ye turn aside, then
only the clear delivery (of his message) is incumbent upon Our
apostle, wUI *>)t U U we have nothing (to do) but to follow him
(see §§ 585 and 586); (c) when the j+±. is an interrogative, as
3* sj~* who is he? ^* U what is it ? (see § 570).
518. In a verbal sentence the agent (i.e. subject) must always
jil, J , St "
follow its verb (i.e. predicate); thus ajj a+XZs his Lord spoke to
• „ J J 0 *
him, oLi trja-i plants spring up : this it is held to do where a
**» , ,0.0* ,o'c
verb represents both subject and predicate; thus p-'y^M yj&\
he threw down the tables.
§ 520] A GRAMMAR. 189
519. In addition to simple sentences, nominal and verbal, we
find compound, each consisting of an inchoative with a clause as
enunciative. In one sort of compound nominal seutence, a noun
(substantive or pronoun) is transposed to the first place and
followed by a verb, thus %^> J^» c^xwj ^j^-j (as to)
My mercy (it) comprises everything. Here the agent of the
clause (J^UJI) is a concealed pronoun, which corresponds in
gender and number with the inchoative of the seutence ; and
the inchoative contrasts (tacitly or expressly) with another
inchoative having a different predicate, thus JjLil ^^t^o
j£\j 03j*3 Moses awoke while Aaron was (still) sleeping,
JUt UjJb 01 verily as for us, we repent toward Thee, 0*-*3
^^©Jlxj •>) j9^^s\ but most of them do not know, \y> J& ^>^i
LjL»L» because they denied Our signs, ^j^^jj ^^ perchance ye
* ~ *
may be mercifully dealt with, 03^? j&*& perhaps ye may be
guided aright.
520. There are also compound sentences in which a pro-
J St *
nominal suffix called JsutjJt the connecter replaces the noun
J -0 Jk
transposed. They may be (a) compound nominal, thus tjJs- aJUI
o ^ « « *
xh.t with God there is great reward; or (b) compound
Ji // J t 0 ' J mi 00 J *,6,
verbal, thus ajUJ rv»*^ s-"^1 J^t (as to) the good land its
herbage comes forth, *lil &* aj *^-«1 ^1-U (as to) My punish-
ment I strike with it whom I will.
521. We may regard as verbal a sentence consisting of a
190 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§521
dewrbal adjective and following noun, thus <£Uy sr>j£> thy
people are generous (see § 552 b ii).
522. There does not exist in Arabic a substantive verb,
i.e. one which would unite subject and predicate in a nominal
sentence without connoting the idea of existence ; for &\£=> though
occasionally supplying the place of logical copula, ascribes to its
subject the attribute of existence ; and being attributive, its
predicate and those of O^ Ol^l must be in the accusative
case (see §§441 and 442).
523. The absence of logical copula expressed by or contained
in a finite verb constitutes the essential characteristic of a
(simple) nominal sentence (see § 513); so that when a definite
noun (substantive or pronoun) and an indefinite adjective stand
in juxtaposition we have a complete nominal sentence. The fact
of the former being defined (no matter how) and the latter un-
defined, shows them to occupy the positions of subject and
predicate ; for, as will be seen in § 536, a descriptive epithet must
agree with its noun in respect of definition as well as in gender,
number and case. Thus J^>»- ,<£ aJJI God is self-sufficing
{and) worthy to be praised ', aXo <J\j*y\ Sj^-w the chapter of the
uppermost parts is Meccan.
524. If both subject and predicate are defined, we can make
sure of their relative position being recognized, by inserting
between them J~aiS \ j-^o-o the pronoun of separation ; thus
tjjtfc Ai^J 1 ^a ^5^1 those are the prosperous.
§ 527] A GRAMMAR. 191
525. If the predicate be a nominative and the subject placed
in the accusative after ,j| or the like, a pronoun of separation is
unnecessary; thus <UJI ^»&; O' verily your Lord is God : there
may however be inserted such pronoun of the same person as
O' vff-'t (see § 436, rem. a) ; thus LJj oJt ^Ul truly Thou art
our p9'otector.
0
Rem. A noun governed by o' etc- *s not called IjJ^o ew-
choative by Arabian grammarians.
527. As a general rule the subject of a nominal sentence
must, if not exactly defined, be specialized, No information is
* 1 J - o Z 9 * '
conveyed by "A horse is grey"; but we can say yb jjuaS ^jj
0 * 0 J * 0 Z ^ % * +
**£• O-* j>~»»t a grey horse is handsomest, where ^ji though
SjjCJ indefinite is specialized by its adjective; so also there is
5 ' * * «> 0*0*
obviously a partial determination in j-w jJD t ^j Su&j a desire to
9 i * * 0 * J * *
do evil is bad, and in >*Jyi~c j*&* J>*> w>'^ « punishment of
a great day is to be feared (see § 492). These examples differ
from true definition, which is only attained by use of the article
o £
UujjuX.) in order to distinguish (see ■§ 345), or by annexation to
a defined noun (see § 475 et seq.) : there are other cases where
the subject of a nominal clause can be indefinite, among which
are the following : —
(a) In a clause called at § 515 zarflyari (i) when the predi-
»i l 0 *0*> *
cate stands first, as a* I ^oyUI ,j-o there is a section of the people;
and (ii) when the subject is preceded by an interrogative or
o ~>o *. * e *
negative particle, as ^Jl ^ 2U Ja is there water in the cis-
00
tern t U w^ I* we have no arm*.
192 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 529
(e) When the sentence expresses a wish, as ^i^ j^^>
peace be unto you ; see § 516.
•(/) Words containing the conditional meaning of &\ if (see
§ 406), though indefinite by their nature, serve as inchoative ;
thus aJJU O^yt O-o if any one believes God, a~Ju ~> JJ^j ,j««
whoever 'is made to guard against his own covetousness.
529. A pronoun of separation is sometimes omitted if the
meaning remains clear, as ^J^jU t j^a) I JJ* this is the great
prize.
OS
530. To give emphasis and occasion contrast jugs^J I j+**o
ju£»UJ t $\ the pronoun of corroboration may be introduced ; it
being wholly different from the pronoun of separation treated in
§ 524 et seq. Commonly it follows the subject, or a verb which
represents both subject and predicate ; thus ^->Jj ^^ O-iSti
tj^jfcjj those only who fear their Lord, ^JUJI <j**j> L£» <jt if
WE be the victors ; see also ^jaj o>& at § 415 a i, Note.
Note. The pronoun of corroboration may follow conjunctive
pronouns in an oblique case, thus 0$~*hi ^^b ^ O-i^ for
those especially who believe in Our signs.
531. If however in the description of persons or things (see
§ 513, rem. b) a nominal clause lacks precision, we may use o^»
or one of its sisters (see § 442). When so employed the imperfect
has its usual meanings : but a perfect, beside examples like those
in § 441, may express the present, as JtiU^ s>*r°\ jtr* ?-^-i
vov*^ c-jl^ ^J*-M he puts away from them their burden and the
§ 534] A GRAMMAR. 193
fetters which are upon them ; especially is this the case after an
0 10 3 * 0J/1/ , J O i 3 0 3 0
interrogative, or U not, as ^.Jl ^»- ^*&*> ^»-^) C%S U / am
not ready to judge between you until etc. (see § 557).
533. We have observed in § 73 that passive verbs must often
be translated impersonally: commonly a 3rd person singular
0 o
masculine is used to avoid specifying the subject, thus J*J h\
jrj when it was said to them. In case of jJ& — which governs
00 J 0 0 3 0
only an accusative of the sin, we render U yuu^ we shall be
pardoned, for it will be pardoned to us gives too explicit a subject.
Nomina patientis of verbs which are transitive by help of a pre-
position (see § 423) can only appear in the masculine singular,
changes of gender and number being marked by an alteration of
0 0 , 9 3 0 0 0 J
the pronoun; thus ouA* w^-ox^ yb he is an object of anger,
- o - - o j * 0 # 00*0 j jo, o*
\^Js> w>3-«oi-o .-* she is an object of anger, j^t^ ^>ybh+)\ the
Tr 0 *
objects of anger. The neuter plural of adjectives is sometimes
expressed by the feminine sound plural, and sometimes by a
broken plural, but never by the masculine sound plural ; thus
/dS *>* ,00 a-o 03 /(///
1^ oLu^aJlj ^U^JOj and We tested them by moans of
0 *+ 0 *0» } %0 0 I * 0 3)0 ,* Si 03 3 30 & 3
good and evil things, w*5L»Jt ^^s- j»j*mi} oUJsJI ^ J**->
he makes lawful to them the pleasant things and makes unlawful
to them the foul things.
Rem. a. The passive of directly trausitive verbs may be used
" 3
personally or impersonally, thus ***<&> he was overcome or there
was a victory.
534. To the subject and predicate complements are joined by
subordination (the accusative or a preposition with its dependent),
or by coordination which is more usually called apposition.
ciii. 13
194 ELEMENTARY ARABIC I [§ 535
535. Pronominal suffixes may have a reflexive meaning when
attached to a verb's object, but not when attached to the verb
itself ; consequently for this purpose we must employ ^Jo soid
or the like, thus ^j^Xlsu ^rJo\ 1^jl£» they were injuring them-
s,/r,<: to this rule however verbs of the heart-(see §424 b ii)
supply exceptions.
536. Complements coordinated with a subject or predicate
are called ?-A£ appositives (see § 304, No. 16), the usual appo-
sition being of noun to noun and the more rare (see § 540) of
J JO * 0*
verb to verb. There stands first p^-^oJ ' that which is followed
» a * ^
and then %JO\ the follower.
(a) After this fashion the adjective is joined to its substan-
tive ; they agreeing in gender, number and case, as well as (see
s j 6 " '
§ 523) by definition or by being undefined: thus |J«~© J*^-©
manifest error, c~«>JI jJJt ^1 to the dead country, c-oij
3u«UJI ^g&jia. ...»c / saw their congregational mosque or their
mosque which collects, 5j*.*s)l jljJI £UU t/ie meeting of the last
abode. A noun may of course have two or more adjectives con-
nected with it, thus ^t**-/) 1 o-©^-pt *JJ' ^~j in the name of
God the merciful {and) compassionate : sometimes a nomen verbi
(nomen actionis or other) takes the place of an adjective, thus
Sj£j JW an indefinite hell, Aijjt* j^,\ a defined noun. In the
above examples all words are singular, and concords in case of
the dual are equally simple : but with plurals the matter becomes
difficult, though the rule as to definition is happily unalterable.
A substantive (i) in masculine sound plural representing rational
§ 536] A GRAMMAR. 195
creatures must be followed by an adjective in the plural, thus
ijjiLo 0& erring sons, jAj£> ^j^c^o (see § 304, No. 5) noble
j + * * » '
believers, o-t^^ 03**^ (see § 305, No. 2) accursed unbelievers ;
while a substantive (ii) in feminine sound plural may be followed
by an adjective, singular feminine as &u*». O^U; gracious
messages, or plural, either broken as ^5'j3 OU. (see § 304,
9 9 ' ' *
No. 17) noble gardens, va+j Oiji» (see § 304, No. 2) white cattle,
or feminine sound as O^Loi^ Ob I signs separated by intervals.
A substantive in broken plural if (iii) denoting rational beings
may be followed by an adjective in the singular feminine, thus
ii O 0>O J i i ' 9' O J <i '
AjjJbo^l w/)U»JI the English students, a^A*~« J^-j Moslem men,
9 ' 0 J "' 9 * * 9 J J + *
JLoJL.* *LJ Moslem women, Sjujw iJ^U strong kings, j\^.
Sjujw strong girls ; it is however better, if the sex be indicated,
" % * J O J 9 '
to employ an appropriate sound plural, thus J>»^ J^fj and
OUJ— o ILJ. But if the broken plural (iv) denotes objects
other than rational beings, no matter what their gender in the
singular, its adjective may be feminine, singular as $j~£* O^***-
great fishes, or plural as OL~»- j^a beautiful forms ; or else
a broken plural, thus jlj^ ~.\jj powerful winds, jAjZa JW
noble mountains. Next as regards collectives which are treated
in §§ 292 and 30(J rem. : those (v) denoting rational beings usually
take an adjective in that sound plural which corresponds by
natural gender with the beings, thus ^^©JU»JI j*$iA\ the wrong-
dot rs, 0*+* ^V 1yl£» ^yjj truly they were a blind people,
oij-jixJi ^yo-^-o j9ij><*- MoAmuas numerous family: but the
13 9
19G ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§ 537
adjective may be singular and agree with the collective's gram-
9 ^ x 9 a * © ^ <• 9 5 c
matical gender, thus jj-*^. sJ\±. excellent posterity, aiwli <Ut
am impious nation. Collective nouns (vi) which do not form a
nomen unitatis and denote living objects destitute of reason (see
§ 290 a) are, in respect of concord with adjectives, similar to
(see iv) broken plurals denoting irrational creatures : those (vii)
which form a nomen unitatis, and denote objects other than
rational, may take a feminine sound plural, as OtjU* *\j». flying
ov j *» • St J
locusts ; or a feminine singular, as &j^ I J**3 voracious lice ; or
a masculine singular, as J~Ja) I j^£ji the fresh fruit ; or a broken
plural, as JU5 w>U~» heavy cloud.
(b) Being definite by their nature and regarded as substan-
tives, the demonstrative pronouns (see §§ 340, 341) must be
coupled with a defined appositive : if this definition is caused by
the article we usually find the demonstrative preceding, thus
j^aJI JJJ3 this prize, ajj-aJI a Jus this village; but if the substan-
tive be definite in its nature or defined by a following dependent,
, \ <j it),
it must precede, as I Juk )^»m this Mahmud.
Note. We find in Coran, Suran" 7, verse 166 sij.5 ty^£>
sjJLJi*. become abject apes : here the appositive is in masculine
sound plural because human beings are addressed.
537. Sometimes we find the adjective *-*»»t all following a
substantive or pronoun and agreeing with it in gender, number
and case ; thus (j-j****! ^£JU?*n) I will crucify you all.
9 0,
539. In addition to its use at § 535 ^jJu can signify self
§ 539] A GRAMMAR. 197
without reflexive meaning, thus a~J6 wolj I have seen himself:
if a plural be needed, ^^1 must be employed.
Rem. a. There is a class of appositives called ju^yU! or
jc^U! having two divisions; (1) \j$y*L<J\ j^fe^JI the cor-
roboration in meaning which includes J^», ***»■, *<►».' and
t^-ij with a few other words; and (2) ^jlaiJJI ju£»^'JI the verbal
* * * 0 * *
corroboration, when any word is repeated, thus ^xj ^*J yes, yes.
Rem. b. Three more classes of appositives are in use.
(1) Ai-tfdl Me qualificative which may refer to its £3-^* (see
§ 536) directly, in which case it is a simple adjective, thus
j*yt**\ «5**Jt <*JJt the living and everlasting God; or indirectly,
applying to a following word and with it forming a qualificative
clause. (2) JjlJ I the permutative of which the most usual kind
is J£)l ^jj* J£Jt Jjkj the substitution of the whole for the whole ;
thus j-j£ ^ay-J^ CXoJut ch!^' J*Uo ^aI.^ 1 J&lj-tfJI Ujdbl
00** j 0 + bio
^wtls- w^clx«J I direct us (in) the straight road, the road of those
upon whom thou hast shed blessing, other than those who are the
objects of {Thine) anger. Here b\yo is badal of ^lj-o, and jp/k
°i CH-M- (3) OW wilac the explicative connection, being a
substantive which explains its p>~* ; thus ^Jl J>->J' Me
apostle the pi'ophet, Olj* **»**$ ^s*S* J^ Moses said to his
9 ' * 9 0
brother Aaron, jl~*. J*^ a c«// a body, i.e. a calf in bodily
shape.
Rem. c. One verb may be substituted for another by Jjo
Jlo^w^l Me comprehensive substitution, i.e. the permutative
198 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§540
explaining something involved in the previous verb; thus
j^st\~J 0}j.*~'*'"i3 j&A*i\ Oy^^i w^J^' ^w v»^>«i^ they
fog t(j'"// you the evil of punishment, killing your sons and saving
a! i ii your daughter*.
540. Two verbs used asyndetically (i.e. used without a con-
junction) are regarded as in apposition, thus jc*-* j*\5 he arose
' r* " ' '
and prostrated himself J Us I j^..»> he continued long in pros-
t ration ; but the insertion of ^ is better.
541. As regards concord in gender and number between the
parts of a sentence, the following rules hold good. We shall
treat in § 552 of nominal sentences, and at present confine our
attention to verbal sentences (see § 518) ; premising that a mas-
culine singular subject can only be preceded (or followed) by a
masculine singular verb, thus Oj^y J^ Pharaoh said, and that
the equivalent of a plural subject (such as a relative sentence,
etc.) takes a preceding verb in the singular, thus 'jj^» O-i^ ' j&j
the unbelievers have asserted.
542. (a) If the subject be a singular substantive, feminine
according to § 290 a, and (i) immediately following its verb, the
verb must be feminine singular, thus ju Oju^l a hand became
extended: but (ii) if one or more words intervene, while the
feminine is better, the masculine is permissible, thus \^j j^aj
O-odl the eye saw it.
(/>) If the subject be a singular substantive, feminine accord-
ing to § 290 b or § 291 the verb may precede in either gender,
though preferably in the feminine if the subject follows inmiedi-
§ 544] A GRAMMAR. 199
ately, thus *lb; w**l£> w*©3 ^ word of thy Lord w us fulfilled \
but we find ^ >*.>»*■») t «L5U O^ *-*^ jJiiLi so look how was
the end of the transgressors.
Rem. The concord usually remains if, in negative or inter-
rogative sentences, the subject be preceded by o-* J Dut m
Coran, Surati 64, verse 11 we have <L*-ft* »>* V^' I* wo
mischance has befallen.
(d) The verbs ^ju and ^o take preferably the masculine
form, be the subject's gender what it may ; see § 183.
543. If the subject be a masculine sound plural the preceding
verb is with rare exceptions singular masculine, thus aAJI ^U
Ojif**l I J&jLte upon God then let the believers rely.
Rem. b. When meaning family or tribe 0>^> the sound
plural of >jj\ son, may be preceded by a feminine singular verb ;
thus J^tj-^t >^ aj wsicl M<? tribe of Israel believed Him.
544. If the subject be a broken plural the preceding verb
again with rare exceptions is singular, and of either gender no
matter which, thus ^JU^t cUa.^ (from J*©* masc.) their works
J J o to* * * i 0 0
are vain, J*^l £&> (from J*.j fem.) the feet were cut off.
But if the broken plural denote male persons the verb is better
£ *+*h * * '* * ' i 0 it
masculine, thus lu Hyi-JI Jjii Ut> UU.^1 101ft 7%om destroy us
on account of what the fools among us haw done; though we
sometimes find the feminine, as J-y j^t^ wJl=> apostles used
to come to them.
200 ELEMENTARY ARABIC I [§ 545
545. If the subject be a collective or other noun mentioned
iu § 292 the preceding verb must be singular but may be of
either gender; thus *W J^ the chiefs said, d-^3 dU-JLJ his
0 JO Oi'i 0 , , 0 x
people asked drink of him, ^^o 4*1 cJ13 31^ and when a section
of them said.
546. If the subject be a feminine sound plural the preceding
verb must be singular but may be of either gender, unless de-
noting female persons, in which case the feminine is preferable.
548. When the subject has been mentioned in a preceding
clause, the verb must agree with it in gender and number
according to the following rules. A masculine or feminine sin-
gular verb follows a like subject ; and a masculine plural verb
follows a masculine sound plural, thus 1^5 1^ \J$o^~~<£ I j>*~> the
Moslems journeyed and came, as also the plural of pronouns, thus
I^JIS Ai^aJt ^frvisU- UU and when the boon came to them they
said. In case of broken plurals the following verb must be femi-
nine, singular or plural, thus UU~* cJilj p-^jJI J~>j-i He sends
«. 0- oi ^
the winds and they bear cloud where <>JJil might also have been
used: if however male persons are indicated the verb in mas-
culine plural is used, thus l^J'Jj Oi*>* 3j.a*-JI sU. the magicians
came to Pharaoh and said ; or if female persons the verb is in
feminine plural. Following a collective noun which indicates a
predominance of male persons the verb is naturally in masculine
plural, thus ^J.xaj ajj JaJb 03**vi **t lT^-*"*^-** ^"° amon9
the peojtle of Moses there is a section who direct {others) by the
truth and by means of it do justice, w>L£JI \^jj^ ^aJU. <J1±. a
posterity succeeded who inherited the Book-, other collectives
§ 552] A GRAMMAR. 201
treated in § 292 are followed by a singular verb of either gender.
Lastly if the subject be a feminine sound plural the verb would
naturally follow in feminine plural though the feminine singular
occurs, thus UJ*l». UJ Ljj Obb U*t we believed the signs of our
Lord, when they came to us : but when female persons are indi-
cated the concord must be strictly kept.
551. A verb sometjmes agrees in gender with the logical
subject, i.e. a dependent annexed to the grammatical subject ;
ej» ^' Or*
this is most usual with words explained in § 482, thus ^A»- ^j
2u\ J^ even though every sign come to them.
552. In nominal sentences the concord of gender and number
between subject and predicate closely resembles that in verbal
sentences.
(a) When the predicate, being verb or adjective, follows its
subject, they must agree strictly in gender and number ; thus
tj+s. yj~c ^Ul aJJI God knows best lit. is mwe knowing than any
; , i. . ,*
other, oy^W I* \Ju&3 ^yb I3I5 so behold it swallows up what
j j * 0 j
they cause to put on a false appearance, d^ilb ^ they are
attainers of it, ^j^xb^jj ^A*J perhaps they may repent, ^*£i«J
iJ^aIj perchance ye will take heed to yourselves ; but a broken
plural may be followed by a feminine singular, as $j~£* ^t^JI
the fishes are large.
(b) When the predicate precedes its subject, as in negative
and interrogative sentences, (i) they must in a nominal sentence
agree (see c) but (ii) in a verbal sentence (see § 251) the predi-
cate ought to be singular, thus vj^LaJI ^>~ol the truthful are
trustworthy.
. 202 ELEMENTARY ARAmC : [§553
(c) If a subject be collective its predicate may follow in tbe
plural, thus ^.UU. jA^t the people are ignorant. Similarly,
when a verb is placed after a collective subject, thus tJjj^ jJlj\
shall men direct us ?
' (d) A predicate frequently agrees in gender with the logical
subject, i.e. a dependent aunexed to the grammatical subject,
compare § 551.
553. In negative and prohibitive sentences a negation may
apply to any part of the sentence — the predicate, the subject (see
§439), the object, the circumstantial expression (JU*Jt) etc.
554. The negative most often immediately precedes that part
of the sentence which it denies, but this is not necessarily so.
555. (a) The predicate of a verbal sentence in the imperfect
* j j j * *
with present sense may be denied by *$ (see § 362 dd), as &>&> ^
- 3 J 0
L»yk6a» the guarding of them both does not weary Him ; or with
the future sense, as &*-+. La*) 1 j**.\ *.woi *s) 01 surely We will
not allow to be lost the reward of the righteous ; or with a past
sense, when preceded by a verb which expresses the past, as
^r+Mu *^ Ajt tj^-i ^Jl did they not perceive that it could not
speak to them ?
(b) We rarely find ^ attached to a verb in the perfect, except
when used with ^ to continue a previous negation.
556. The particle ^ (fov O' *9 see § 362 hh) is a very strong
negation of the future, as can be seen in §§ 411 and 415 a L
Rem. For ^ and Q see §§ 412 and 418.
§ 560] A GRAMMAR. 203
557. The particle U not (see § 362 kk) denies the perfect
when the latter has one of the meanings treated in § 401 a to d;
when joined to the imperfect it denies the present, as is noted
in § 408 e, rem. a.
Note. An instance of U denying O^9 *s given in § 531.
558. The particle oi mt (see § 362 k) beside being found
in nominal sentences, thus *iU£i *$\ ,«* ,jl this is only Thy
temptation, may be used before the imperfect indicative and the
perfect of a verb.
559. The verb JJj (see §§182 and 442) which usually
expresses the indefinite or definite present (see § 408 a, b) is
commonly <La3U incomplete, as IjJpU c— J or jJ^Uj C-.J / aw
??o£ arc onlooker ; though it may be 3-ott complete. It is also
employed as an indeclinable particle, denying more strongly than
^ that part of the sentence to which it is prefixed.
560. When a sentence containing one of the negatives U, ^3,
UJ, u>) or ^J is followed by another negative sentence, with
^ and to connect the two, (a) the second sentence is negatived
by •J when no special emphasis attaches to the form of negation,
and (b) the first negative is repeated when the independence of
the second sentence is emphasized ; but (c) when the two verbs
are conceived of as forming parts of one action, no second nega-
tive is required, thus U jaxjj Ujj Uo-^j ^ ^j\ if our Lord
had not been merciful to us and pardoned us.
Rem. a. As regards the use of ^ instead of rejieating j~b.y
see § 482 d, rem. a.
204 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 563
563. The prohibitive *j governs the jussive, as may be seen
in §§ 417 b and 420: this happens also with the energetic.
564. All interrogative clauses take the direct form, thus
A*jjjtJl iiJJI w^£ll canst thou write Arabic t aiJJI w^£it JL>
* w «• - OiO
a*jjjUJ he inquired whether thou couldst write Arabic; the
difference between direct and indirect questions being ignored,
both in the arrangement of words and in the moods of the verb.
565. Spoken questions may be indicated merely by the tone
of voice : but written inquiries are usually introduced by one of
the following particles, viz. I, *$\ or Ja ; unless provided with
x OS- * 0 *
an interrogative adverb, such as ,j-»1 where I ^su& how ? or the
like (see §§ 361 to 364).
566. The simplest interrogative is I thus ^£j; j*\ ^Jla-tt
have ye hastened the affair of your Lord ? This particle may be
prefixed to jl, ^, J or>; thus \j.^ U ^>5l (see § 361 a,
o jo , ,i
rem.) shall there indeed be to us a reward ? ^Us^j\ do ye wonder'}
* t O * , Si
tj^Ubu %i\ do ye not therefore understand*
567. The interrogative Ja introduces questions of a more
0 » + 0+ j - - 5 - s s o j o *
lively sort, thus <j^JIcju t^jl^ U ^)J <jjj^o Ja shall they be
rewarded otherwise than with what they have been accustomed to
do. Upon the use of this particle there are certain restrictions.
568. The particle *$\ (originally meaning is it not the case
JO' 0>o j* *{.
that?) affirms a certainty, thus JU^Jt aj ^1 truly to Him
belongs the (whole) creation. It is frequently followed by a
§ 572] A GRAMMAR. 205
x£ i ,# xo o>>~, xi ,i
further asseverative, e.g. 1*51, thus <UJI jl^ ^pU» UJ1 ^t
verily their luck (or fate) is in the hands of God only.
Ox
570. The interrogative pronouns ,>« who ? and U what ? (see
§ 351) may stand in any one of the three cases, nominative,
dependent, or accusative. To render the interrogative more
vigorous we append the demonstrative pronoun 13 (see § 340)
x J JCx x XX
thus 03j^ ^ ^** so wnai d° Ve enjoin ? and this may happen
J x 0 J x 0 x 5/tf x Ox
when iJSM follows, thus djut **£»> i^JJI 13 ^>« wAo ?s id that
Ox x
sAa# intercede with Him ? The pronouns o-* and U are always
used substantively, but cannot govern a dependent or be followed
by a substantive in apposition.
Rem. d. As to j» for U, see § 351, rem.
572. There are two kinds of relative sentences', (a) that
called 5ju© a qualificative which is immediately attached to an
indefinite substantive without intervening pronoun, and (b) that
0 x
called iXo a conjunctive, where introduction is made by a
pronoun which is definite in its nature The conjunctive pro-
noun (see § 346) is called J»*05*Jt that which is joined, i.e.
joined to aJLoJI the conjunctive clause. As examples (a) the
' m x * Ox x*x0.*xJ0x4£«
following are indefinite clauses; ^)jaj ajj JU^JU 0>M U
a nation who direct (others) by means of the truth and who by it
Ojx xOf xx x JJOx Ox xx Oxfx
do justice, jtj j>\^o\ ^s> (j^iSju j>£ ^s- )y\s so they came
upon a people who clung to their idols : (b) the following clauses
0 /»<« xx x 0 . ^ w<« xOxO^ x OJO£O<0x
are definite ; ^»*-J I S^-ola* c-Jl^ ^Jl Ajji)t ,j^ ^^JUt^ f*W
a^- them concerning the village which is situated by the sea,
206 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 573
, i -> „ to t.
Sl£>jjl 0^>2^ O^*^ CH**^ ^s» wAo to/e A^c? to themselves
and give the appointed alms, &**o ,j-©j i^y* Moses and he who
is (or those who are) ivith him, £)jJ£- j^ Uj %£b; U c^l
/£ My Xorrf on our behalf by virtue of that which he kxs
covenanted with thee.
Rem. a. When the antecedent substantive is indefinite we
cannot in Arabic employ a conjunctive pronoun; for ^JJI is
(see § 347) always definite, while j>* and U though sometimes
indefinite (see §§ 353* and 527/) are always used substantively.
Rem. b. follows the next section.
Rem. c. Among qualificative clauses may be accounted those
mentioned in § 539, rem. b 1.
J ' Mi -
573. The qualificative clause (aa*oJI) necessarily contains
a pronoun (called J^UJI), referring to the qualified noun and
connecting it with the said qualificative clause. This 'a'id, in
case the clause be verbal, is a pronoun concealed (see § 513) in
the verb ; as <£k>>lj ^j^U. gatherers who (they) come to thee,
w>U£)l I^j;3 Udj*. *_»X±. a posterity followed who (they) inherited
the Book : in case the clause be nominal, a separate pronoun is
employed ; as *iUj».lo yb ^*J> a prophet who (he) is thy
companion. Frequently the 'a'id appears as a suffix in the
J J JO * * 9 0 « * \
accusative, thus ey+~ijSU jSU I Jub this is a plot which ye have
0 J J 0 J jil ** CO'
contrived ; or in the dependent, as ^y£V° <*JJ I j>£ a people oj
J J + 0 J * (■ -
whom God. is the destroyer, d^iJb^^A J^\ ^J\ until a fixed term
to h 'uh they were about to attain. If however no 'a'id is needed
to make clear the meaning, it may be omitted; thus ^o^a. .j j*$j
§ 575] A GRAMMAR. 207
{make mention of) the day on which He shall assemble you, whence
a*9 is eliminated.
Rem. In theory a 'a'id ought to be of the 3rd person, but in
practice it often agrees with the subject to which the qualified
substantive is predicate ; thus <j^s*J j>£ j£>\ verily ye are
a people who (ye) are ignorant. Compare § 575, rem. a.
* * <* *
574. The conjunctive clause (aJLaJI) must begin with a con-
junctive pronoun. Now it has been shown in § 346 et seq.
that, like o-° an(* *■* when definite, ^JJI is used substantively
to mean he who, that which; thus w«.:a» ^JJI that which was
Si mhoio & 2 *o * j St io * s St' ' St'
bad, ^^t (^5^' Jfj** Oy+k Crt^M tnose wno follow the
apostle, the illiterate prophet. Only (C*xi I can be used adjectively,
and then like all adjectives it agrees with its antecedent, a definite
substantive, in gender, number and case, its agreement in case
being best shown by the dual which has case-endings : thus
' St ,i o - ' -» o * *■ oSt * ' i
U'^Uol ^>jJJJt jj-JlJa^iJI Ujl show us the two devils who led us
astray, where CH^' *s oblique (for the accusative) agreeing
»" »i / , ' i J *• j o 'St * O' ' o St * ' i
with i^-JUau-SJt ; again U^Lcu* Ua ^JJUt jj-JltuiJI Ojl show
us the two devils who lead us astray. In both these examples the
real subject in the relative clause is the pronoun called 'aid, as
will next be explained.
Note. Whether used substantively or adjectively oj&\ can
only apply to masculine rational creatures, compare § 302, rem. a.
575. The preceding section shows that Arabic conjunctive
pronouns are not used quite like our English relative pronouns ;
for the case in which they are put is independent of the con-
208 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§ 575
junctive clause. If standing first as substantives and forming
the subject of an independent sentence, they are in the nomina-
tive ; as is {jS$'\ when attached adjectively to a substantive in
the nominative. But in every other instance, though at the
beginning of a conjunctive clause, they are subject to government
by an antecedent, whether noun, verb or particle : consequently
they are in the particular case which their position requires,
viz. either, that case occupied by the demonstrative pronoun
implied in them, thus ^}*s Uj by reason of THA T which he has
done ; or, the same case as the antecedent substantive with which
/«/»£ Coo &* j ,»*
they agree, thus Up I l£*^' j>^W jy*^ so believe the light
which We have sent down. To elucidate this difficult matter we
have employed in the first instance two examples which do not
display juUJI ^^o-oJI the pronoun which refers back, and we now
propose showing to what use it serves in (a) the nominative case,
(b) the accusative, and (c) the dependent.
(a) If a 'a'id stand in the nominative as subject, it is
represented (i) in a verbal sentence by the personal pronoun
concealed in the verb, thus jvjye O-* ^°^ he sent him
struck tJiem, a** JjJi i£jjt j^A\ t^xJI they followed the light
0*0* * SiiO ,0 * 6i
which has been sent down with him, <£*JI ^js- Oiv-^ O-i^^ ^^l
^^j wjIjuij I^.oJJ3 sjj£l\ UJciJ^ We delivered those who were
forbidding the evil and We visited with grievous punishment those
who were unjust. But (ii) in a nominal sentence the 'a'id i&
expressed by a separate pronoun, as ^*lb yb U that which is
\ smelling or whatever is sweet smelling. The separate
pronoun however (iii) is not required iu a nominal sentence
§ 575] A GRAMMAR. 209
, 1 0 , » 0, ,
when the predicate is an adverb, as La ,j* Co^o / struck
the one who is here; or a preposition with its dependent, as
<jui U t>wj3 they studied whit is in it, ax* ChJ^'j o^3*-^
O iOiO
JJUUJt ^i 50 IF(0 saved him and those who were with him in
the ark.
(b) If the 'a id be an objective complement in the accusative,
j, j , £/
it is appended as suffix to its verb, thus <0^jk&*j ^ jj t he whom
W W J ,0,~ , 0 J
they find, ^JD *^3I U S±. take what we have given to the
prophet. The suffix however is very frequently eliminated, thus
~,l o , j ~,Z o , 6} *,£ o ,
l\Z>\ ,j-o whom I wish for d*U>l <>* he (or^^M^I ^« they) whom
, * 0 , » , , , jit ,
I wish, sj^Zijju \y>\£& U what they were constructing, U©v **M
6 , , } - 0 -
j~aj £)^+*3 God is able to see what ye do.
(c) When in dependent case the 'a'id represents our relative
pronouns, standing in cases other than the nominative and
o »,, , o , ol , i,
accusative. Thus ^tX* w*-o*it O-i^ those upon whom Thou
o£e/o- , \ i >o j a j j, St,
hast shed blessings, c^j^b «Srij»»i1 **A-U a) i£jJt He to Whom
belongs the dominion over heaven and earth, aj tjji»3 U I *~J UJLi
, , ,
and when they forgot that of which they had been reminded,
0 3,
«jui j** U that in which they are. There are occasions on which
a 'a'id may be omitted, as for instance when it and the preceding
conjunctive pronoun are governed by the same preposition, as
,, St, 0,,
Up U* \£g. they turned in disdain from that from which he
turned in disdain where *i£> is eliminated : but omission is not
permissible if the preposition be used in two senses, or if it
follow different verbs, thus us> \y^> C* \£e. Ci* so when they
turned in disdain from that from which they were forbidden.
Git. 14
210 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§ 576
But a. In theory a 'a'id after t^JJ t ought to be of the 3rd
person but it is not so always : compare § 573, rem.
^ 0 * *
Note. In relation to a 'a'id Wv* exactly resembles U, thus
,r 0 * t' - 0 '
«ul yju> aj UlU Uv< whatever thou bringest us of a sign.
.A
576. Copulative sentences require j or o (see § 366) of
which the former is used to connect words and clauses as a
simple co-ordinative ; thus 05^5 *3jj* they have helped him
jZ* x o j * oj
and assisted him, \yuZ}} j*=>) J^*J in order to warn you and that
0 1 i* 0*0** £ *> , iOi j, ,
ye may take heed to yourselves, j&^AjLaS} ^Ul {j*c>\ lj^a»w
they bewitched men's eyes and terrified them, «2AJLub l^-LLi
,^-l^c.Lo I^JUjI^ they were overcome there and were rendered
niptible. The particle o however sometimes unites single
words as is noted in § 540, but more usually it connects
two clauses showing either (a) that the latter is immediately
subsequent to the former in time, or (b) that the clauses are
linked internally as for instance by cause and effect : thus (a)
oj **j 0 +. 0 i* 03 +Sk +
^o£>j}-e y^+tej&jyo He fashioned you, and then He beautified
O 1 9 'O J , , * i * * *Oi
your forms ; &~* (JUju ^ l^li oLat ^iJt he threw down
0 J " ' °
his rod, and behold it became a serpent manifest; ^j\2^.\
w>j JL5 ii»-jJI ^^J^aJ UJLi he chose them, and when the,
j j *■ 0 i
convulsion seized them, he said, 0 my Lord', (b) 0*^3 151=^
, * , it -O J 0 » CiO W vllo* wl 5 * i// it lO i m>*
ajUJU&j aJUU O^Sk L^' L*"!^ LSt^1 Ai*~'J3 ^W \y*Ae
oyu5l^ (because) He gives life and causes to die, therefore believe
God and His apostle, the illiterate prophet, who believes God
His words ; also follow him. When ^9 means because it is
§580] A GRAMMAR. 211
usual to employ ui**> ^nus j**^~* I* j^ uj' 'j*** ^J****
go down into Egypt for {there) shall ye find what ye ask. We
have seen in §§ 415 d, 417 c and rem. c, that ^J may be used
to separate an apodosis from its protasis : after the disjunctive
particle Ut (see § 367 d) wJ must always introduce the apodosis,
thus ^.mhji* .1 1 l\ja* aJj UJLo J**£j C>^ O-0 ^ «* t° whoso
believes and does right, he shall have a most excellent reward.
577. If a second subject be added to the concealed pronoun
which serves as subject to the verb, we must employ a separate
personal pronoun in repetition of the latter, thus js*\ b Ui
<LaJI ^X».«!jj Oot y>5wl JFe said, 0 Adam, dwell thou and
thy wife in the garden ; but ^»-jj^ lyJwt is permissible.
578. If after a pronominal suffix expressing the object a sub-
stantive be connected by ^, we may employ a separate personal
pronoun in repetition of the suffix, thus «U.1^ yb a»gl put him
off and his brother ; but this is not usual. Also we may write
» * % it* oi a
oU.1 z*j\j Aft-jl j or we may employ Ljl (see § 189 a) thus
0U3 oUJ ?~jl jl?m^ 0$* A& brother and him.
579. We must repeat a preposition, if with its pronominal
suffix a substantive is connected by j ; thus ^5*-^ ^ jJ^'
pardon (the sin) to me and my brother.
580. When preceded by ^ connecting two nouns, *$ represents
all the antecedent negative sentence except that word for which
the noun«that follows ^ is substituted; thus j>^> ^3 *!* ojk±.U ^
drowsiness doth not seize Him nor sleep : here ty represents
14—2
212 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§ 582
582. The copulative particles are sometimes used in Arabic
in place of an English disjunctive or adversative ; thus I^Jli
jUjt ykj ot\j3 C^ OSt&il *£** JP] ^ O-^P *% say,
We believe what has been sent down to us, and they ignore what
{has come) after it, although it is the truth. We have noted
in § 540 the use of \J between two verbs, the second of which
modifies the first.
583. Mention has been made in § 444 c, rem. c 4, of
aJU. AJLoxfc- a circumstantial clause, which will commonly be
found prefaced by JUJI ^, i.e. the copulative particle ^,
often meaning whereas or seeing that. Here ^ serves to connect
two clauses the second of which describes the state or condition
either of the subject or other part of the first clause, or else of a
new subject.
(a) The circumstantial clause may be nominal (see § 513) as
O-^JbJT ^ J^Lli jij Q[ ^JL£\ 4JJI ^lk\ shall I seek for
you a god other than God, whereas He has favoured you above all
creatures : here the second clause refers to aJJI, and is compound
nominal (see § 519) having a finite verb for its predicate.
(A) The circumstantial clause may be verbal and affirmative,
it a verb being in imperfect indicative preceded by j3j. Without
jJ we must not employ ^, and by omission of both we obtain
sentences like the examples in § 408 d where the second clause
is j jJuo JU. htd indicating the future ; or like those in § 408 e
whose second clause is Oj^** J**- a contemporaneous state.
(v) The circumstantial clause may be verbal and negative, its
verb being in imperfect indicative preceded by Uj, or in the
§584] A GRAMMAR. 218
jussive preceded by ^»)^; thus £w «iAJ ^^ J*3 ^ di^LU.
/ created thee beforehand when thou wast nothing. If *9 be used,
^ is nearly always omitted, and not seldom in other cases.
(d) The circumstantial clause may be verbal and affirmative,
its verb being in the perfect usually preceded by j3} ; thus
JJi yj^t JUi-U. jk.33 ^a ^e> yb ^ zs £«sy for Me, seeing that
I created thee heretofore.
(e) The circumstantial clause may be verbal and negative, its
verb being in the perfect preceded by Uj, or even by U alone :
if ^~J be employed it is preceded by j, thus ^ U* J^-3^
~J £>j\+> C~Jj ^yJI^I yj^ i^ju why dost thou enquire con-
cerning what of their property is in my (two) hands, seeing that
thou art not heir to them ?*
584. Adversative, restrictive and exceptive sentences call for
notice ; the commonest adversative particles being *^ and j>£)
or j>£J.
(a) We employ ^ (see § 362 dd) in opposition to a preceding
affirmative proposition or command ; thus <U) I ^»Jl£» ^-'^ J**
03jir* ^ Moses, not Aaron, was called tlie interlocutor of God.
(6) "We use J>£J and o-® (with or without ^, see § 362 <r)
in opposition most frequently to a preceding prohibition or
* This example is taken from line 5 on page 18 of Chrestomathie 6l6men-
to ire de VArabe littdral avec un glussaire par Hartwig Derenbourg et Jean
Spiro, Paris (Ernest Leroux) 1892 ; copies of which (second) edition I have
placed in the Bodleian, Cambridge University Library, and the British
Museum. See also the opening words of Coran ii. 270.
ELEMENTARY ARABIC ! [§ 585
negative statement: J^»Jt ^1 jJiul ,>% L5^ ^ ^M 5^a^
/ ' >■. . J//, hut look toward the mountain; ^&5 aJ*}L£ ^ ^^J
J^-y there is in me no error ^ but I am an apostle.
585. We have mentioned U-5J at § 436, rem. d, this word
being most commonly restrictive (see § 362 n). It is usually
placed at the beginning of a proposition, and that portion of
the proposition which it affects must stand at the end ; thus
aJJI juft^Aplb UJt their luck (or fate) is at the disposition
of God only\ see § 517 for a restricted incohative.
586. Exception (*L£l^I) is of three kinds; J-aZ^I
*0s * JO*
joined, in which ^y£z»**l\ the thing excepted is similar in kind
to the general term (dJ»o ^.;t;,..^JI that from which exception
is made) as yb ^ <dl ^ tf^re js no god except He ; *Jai^&JI the
severed, in which the thing excepted is different in kind from
0 0 St J 0 ^ 0X3 s + *
the general term, as tjl^j*. ^1 ^£) t j*\3 U ^ people did not
J Si, 3 6*
stand up but an ass ; and £j.a*JI ^e emptied, where the general
^~f St St 3 0' -
term is not expressed, as «JI ^1 lu^iij U thou dost not resent'
{any action) on our part except etc.
(a) The commonest of exceptive particles is *3| (see § 367/)
in employing which the following rules are observed.
(i) After an affirmative proposition containing the general
term, a thing excepted must be in the accusative ; thus j^.«>
* » S> j *• m* * o*
^^Jul ^1 iC5^LfrJ I the angels prostrated themselves except Eblis.
(ii) After a negative proposition containing the general term,
a thing excepted is best placed in same case with the general
§ 586] A GRAMMAR. 215
x J x 0 Z x 0
term ; thus yiLZjJLi «n)I ^ ^jt this i$ nothing but Thy
temptation, aXJI •nJJ aJ] *n) fAere & ??o ^oe? &#£ GW (where aJt is
virtually nominative though grammatically accusative, see § 439).*
The same holds with propositions implying a negative, which are
3 xO 0^00
usually interrogative {\£j&>\ j»\*Lj\ a negative interrogative) ;
J ii <o £ x x 0<« J J x 0 x x
thus ^ JJ I •nJ! OlljJaaJ t jasu ^y*3 and who forgives sin except God?
The general term may be a preposition with its dependent, as
— i x jo x x £ x
f-Jt ^i **r-^ O-* V^ l*» wo mischance has befallen except etc.
'JO *x J
i-^-cu) ,j-« being equivalent to w<, and the thing excepted
follows the general rule in respect of case. When the general
term is not expressed, we must give to the thing excepted
that case in which the general term should be; thus U U
05 5 t Ox
ik». *)\ we have nothing to do but to unload whence 2if* is
9/ 0«J £ £ <0 xx x J Jx x
eliminated, j>»Jt ^)J aJJI ^l* 0^y*-l ^ ^# ^ not sav (any-
thing) concerning God except the truth.
Note. Beside nouns, other expressions may follow the ex-
ceptive particle such as (i) an adverb, (ii) prepositional phrase,
9x X X x
(iii) hal, or (iv) clause known as ma^darlyah. Thus (i) *j*J* U
X J i 5x
La *n)J <UaJI ^y there is no tree in the garden except here;
it * o " St #<%*xi
(ii) aJUI &i\i *$\ except by God's permission; (iii) IjJo ^1
except scantily, see § 444 c, rem./, Note; and (iv) *JI <j' *^J
except that etc., see § 448 c.
* In these two examples the words following the particle of exception
* JO* x O'Om J xx
stand in the category of ^JjJI ^© sjAXtJ\ Jju, see Wright's Grammar, ii.
§ 139, rem. b 2 b.
216 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§587
587. We have treated conditional and hypothetical sentences
in §§ 404 to 406, § 413 and § 417 : it must now be explained that
the apodosis of a conditional sentence commences with o (see
§ 366 b) when the conditional particle (o{> tej, or other) of
the protasis cannot exercise any influence upon the apodosis, or
is not required to do so.
(a) This happens when the apodosis is a nominal sentence ;
thus O*****! ^ O"**"^ ^ *^ i>* *i ^^ W»*o whatever
* * * * ° "
sign thou bringest us, we do not believe in thee ; *-w Jj^j ,>*
jj^aJ^oJt j^Sb dU^)li a~Ju whosoever is made to guard against
his own covetousness, those are the prosperous.
(c) If the apodosis be a verbal sentence expressing command,
^ ft* *W + O + 0 J 0
prohibition, or desire ; thus l^ Oli ajU oJU*. c%ar> jjj i/
£&>& hast brought a sign, produce it.
(d) If the apodosis be a verbal sentence preceded by ^»,
\J$~i, j3, U, <jJ, or j^-J ; thus ^IP J^J <sul£« jiZwl <j'
#" it stand firm in its place, hereafter thou shalt see Me.
Rem. There are cases when the use of o is optional.
588. The hypothetical particle 3J implies that what is
supposed is, as a matter of fact, not true or at any rate is
improbable (see § 404 a), whereas \j\ simply indicates a
condition.
590. The affirmative particle J (see § 361 c) may be prefixed
to the apodosis of a hypothetical sentence, thus *ib> *li y
I j***\j 2u\ ^-»U I jiaJ if thy Lord had willed, He would have
made (all) mankind one people.
§ 595] A GRAMMAR. 217
591. Arabic poetry during the so-called classical period,
froin about 500 to 750 a.d., always takes the form of short
poems, which rarely exceed the length of a hundred and twenty
9 ' * is*
verses. Such poems are named kasidats (Sju-oS, plur. juLoS) ;
whereas a mere fragment, consisting of only a few verses, is
9 * » 9 * 9 'Z * »
termed a kit' aft (aaJaS, plur. *J*5, also OUJki*).
Rem. Rhyme without metre or measure does not constitute
poetry.
9 •* 9 *Ot
592. Each verse or bayt (ow, plur. Ol^l) consists of two
hemistichs.
593. Rhyme (a^IS) is of two kinds. When the verse ends
with a consonant, the rhyme is called fettered (SjuL«) ; when
9" * J
it ends with a vowel, loose (ajLUx*). According to ancient rule,
the two hemistichs of the first verse of a kasidafl must rhyme
with one another, and the same rhyme must be repeated at the
end of every verse throughout the whole po*m.
594. The essential part of the rhyme is the letter called
al rawi, ^ijj', which remains the same throughout the entire
poem.
Rem. The letters t, ^, aud ^J cannot be employed as rawi
when they are long vowels and in some other cases.
595. The loose rhyme (see § 593) terminates in what is
called aJLoJI, the annex or appendix to the rawi. The silat
may be either one of the long vowels I -< , \£-rt j-*-, or the
letter o preceded by one of the short vowels (*-£., *— » *-*-)■
218 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§598
Rem. a. The final vowel of a verse is always long, because
it is regarded as being followed by the homogeneous letter of
prolongation (see § 6), whether this latter be written or not.
The vowel-letter I is invariably expressed, but $ and ^£ are often
omitted, e.g. juj for \£>H5 an^ mV hand, ^a fur $x^e or
\$sc*o they made.
598. The last two quiescent (§ 9, rem. a) letters of a verse
form the limits between which is comprised the rhyme. Hence
the Arab grammarians distinguish five varieties of rhyme,
according to the number of moving (§ 4, rem. b) letters which
come between the two quiescents.
600. Every verse in Arabic poetry consists of a certain
number of feet, and a certain collocation of feet constitutes a
/** " * * oi\
metre (j*+-j, plural js*-j 1).
601. The metres are ordinarily reckoned to be sixteen in
number.
Note. The following sections include only those metres of
which examples occur in Wright's Arabic Reading-Book.
603. Of the iambic metres we shall mention the rajaz,
kdmil, and wdfir.
604. It is a peculiarity of rajaz (>»-jJt the trembling) that
each hemistich usually forms, as it were, an independent verse
and rhymes with the preceding one.
Trimeter acatalectic
* u „ - | x w v - I w „ . -
Trimeter catalectic
O — ^ — | o — ^ — ; v7
^
W v^
§610] A GRAMMAR. 219
606. The kdmil (J*lfll the perfect) is either dimeter or
trimeter.
Trimeter acatalectic
W _ w _ J ^ • v - | kW - v _ gw _ wl | *w . v _ | a* . w _
Trimeter catalectic
Dimeter acatalectic
w _ ^ _ I ^_^.-||^_^_ I w_^_
This last variety is sometimes lengthened by the addition of
a syllable
MK _ v _ | i*K _ w _ || W_ w _ | SA« _ w - J .
in which case it is said to be Jij-* having a train.
607. The basis of the wdfir (jil^l the exuberant) is the
same as that of the kdmil, but with the order of the component
parts reversed, s* - *** -•
Trimeter
M «. W - | „ _ ** _ | ^ _ _ || ^ _ w _ I ^ _ w _ | ^ _ _
609. Of the amphibrachic metres we shall mention the
m ut '<(/,<i rib and tavil.
610. The basis of the MUJajdrib (vj^W ** t,;i
is ^_^ (amphibrachys), for wlmli may be substituted ^ — .
Tetrameter catalectic
I I
220 ELEMENTARY ARABIC: [§611
611. The tawil (Jj^JsJI the long) is one of the finest, as
well as the most common, of the Arabic metres.
Acatalectic
\j — — J w — — — J \j — ^ I \s — \j — ||v-/ — C7 I v-» — — — j n-> — ^7 I w — vy —
The last foot of the second hemistich may be changed into
\j .
Catalectic
v — c? I ^ — — — | »*» — O ] «-» — «^ - || vy — o | w — — — | ^ — C7 I ^
613. Of the anapaestic metres we shall mention the basit
and rnunsarih.
615. The basit (Ja-j-^JI the outspread) is a favourite metre
with the older poets.
Tetrameter
0_^_|^^_|^_^_|^^_||__^_|^^_|^_^_|^^_
616. The rnunsarih {~-j~j*(J\ the flowing) has the same base
as the basit, but the first ^ ^ - is reduced to a single long
syllable.
Tetrameter
^7 - ^
618. Of the ionic metres we shall mention the ramal,
madid, and hhafif.
j * a -
619. The ramal ( J^jJ' the running) has for its base ^ ^ —
(ionicus a minore).
§ 624] A GRAMMAR, 221
Trimeter catalectic
620. The madid (jujloJI the extended) may be either
acatalectic, as
o ^ I o^— I C7^ II ^ ^ | a ^ — | o ^
or catalectic, as
O ^ I O^— I v7V/- [| o^ I O ^ ~ J v-»v^ —
621. The khafif (^JiaiJ t ^ %Atf or nimble) is one of the
more usual metres.
Trimeter acatalectic
o ^ I xy — ^ — J o ^ M ^v-» I ^ — w — | ^^ = =
Trimeter catalectic
I U— II • I I
623. Something must now be said concerning the forms
which the final syllables of words assume at the end of a verse.
624, Final short vowels are either dropped or retained as
long (see § 595, rem. «), the tan win of the noun disappearing at
the same time; e.g. j*-£» OljJI^JI Jyu- O^ for '"''*'/'/ "'*-
obedience to mothers is (a) great (sin), for >~£» ; >\y> O-f «£U***>
£% friend of (the tribe) Murdd, for j!/*. In this case final
fathari is always accompanied by an 'alif, as OU*^) 1 ^^ia-; Uj
UUaJt and amitli'ts do not owtil against death, for jw^i 11.
222 ELEMENTARY ARABIC : [§625
625. The accusative termination I _£_ generally becomes t ^_,
though it occasionally disappears altogether.
626. The feminine terminations 5_^, 5_2_, and 3_^_ become
d_^_, more rarely w>_^_; likewise i_£_ and S_±_, whether
masculine or feminine.
627. Nouns ending in ^ _*_ or t _*_ simply drop the tanwin ;
thus ^JS a youth becomes ^"i or Ui, and La* a staff Lc*.
Those ending in — drop the tanwin and either resume the third
radical or not, at pleasure ; e.g. u^li a judge may become either
u^li or ij-^tS.
628. The long vowels !_*_, l£— » and ^-j. usually remain
unchanged.
Rem. b. The genitive and accusative suffixes of the first
personal pronoun, \S~ and ^j, have several pausal forms,
namely aj— > W— > <V, W5-
Eem. c. In rhyme the long vowels ^ -7- and j ^i- are often
expressed merely by kasrarl and dammari.
629. When the penultimate letter of a word bears sukun,
the vowel of the final letter may be transferred to it in rhyme,
e.g. jjccJI for ;juo)l.
Rem. a. This transference (J£>) is not allowed when it
would give rise to a form which has no example in the language.
630. Indeclinable words ending in a vowel when used as
§ 630] A GRAMMAR. 228
rhymes take a final «, which is technically called **«3$JI iU ////
ha of pause or cX.J I l\& the lux of silence \ thus ou^ /<ow
becomes aa*£». The same letter is added to some verbal and
pronominal forms (see § 628, rem. />).
The concluding sections (232 — 253) of Wright's Grammar
illustrate the principal poetic licenses which affect the form of
words used in verse. This subject does not fall within the scope
of an elementary work ; moreover, the slight changes which
custom permits are seldom of such a nature as to cause any
difficulty to the student.
( VMBRIDOK: PRINTED BY J. II. PEACE, M.A., AT THE DNIYKU-:
'JLII<-iltt>
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