Every language has its own fascinating history, and in this guide we're exploring the origin of the Arabic language. According to Babel, around 313 million around the world speak the language, and it is the official language of Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
So how old is the Arabic language and how did Arabic originate? Many people have spent their whole working lives studying the language, and we are distilling the information from those historical linguists into this simple guide to the Arabic language.
How Old is the Arabic Language?
Historians believe that some form of Arabic language has been around for over 2,500 years. In fact, some date forms of the language as far back as the 8th century BCE.
The language is in the “Semitic” family of languages along with the lesser-spoken Aramaic and Hebrew. Of course, the language has evolved like all language does, and it certainly looked and sounded very different in the years gone by. Unesco claim that much of the development of the language was between the years 300-600 AD, and it wasn’t until the 10th century that dictionaries of Arabic words were written, and synonyms and other variations of words were created.
Where Did Arabic Originate?
Arabic comes from the Arabian Peninsula, and interestingly the word means “nomad” in a crude English translation. This makes a lot of sense when you consider how far the language has spread, around the Levant countries and as far east as Mesopotamia, and Lebanon in the west. Nowadays, the language is mainly spoken in the Middle East as well as parts of Africa.
Because of the way Arabic spread and evolved, it is hard to pinpoint a specific place as the birthplace of the language. Classical Arabic was the language spoken in Mecca which is a part of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Variations continued to spread and grow, many of which are quite different and can’t be mutually understood. Throughout history, before we had the option to record and share voices, language was even more of a unique and variable concept.
There are still around 30 different variations of Arabic, which are split into six different categories based on geography: Maghrebi, Sudanese, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Levantine and Peninsular Arabic. With Arabic being spoken across such a huge region, it makes sense to split variations into geographical categories.
Understanding where Arabic came from historically is easier in the context of the places in which Arabic script has been found. In En Advat, Israel, poetry dating back to around 125 AD has been discovered. There is also a Namara inscription that is the epitaph of the Lakhmid king Imru' al-Qays bar 'Amro, from the 4th century in Syria. Other early arabic scripts from predating the 6th century have been found in Syria at locations Zabad, Jabal 'Usays, Harran, and Umm el-Jimal.
The Spread of Arabic (and Other Influences)
As the word’s origin “nomad” suggests, Arabic quickly spread through trade routes and many regions of Africa. For instance, in many parts of Northern Africa, tribes would pick up the language and develop it as their own.
Some words in Arabic also came from the nomadic lifestyle of so many people in the region at the time. When the Silk Roads were developed and people from the Arabic region mixed with those further afield, different influences would come into the language. This is one of the fascinating things about the origin of Arabic language (or any language for that matter) the words are exchanged and borrowed.
Even in modern Arabic, there are words that have been taken from Persian and Greek, especially relating to things like art and craft, plus administration. Even today, European languages are said to be having some impact on the way Arabic is spoken.
On the Silk Roads, Arabic had a huge influence as it was spoken in Baghdad, which became one of the main cultural centres at the time, with songwriters and poets, as well as the place where scholars would study science. For this reason, many Arabic terms have continued to be used in scientific fields such as botany and even medicine.
Arabic’s Influence on English
It may surprise you to learn what a huge influence Arabic words have had on the English language. Unfortunately, this doesn’t make it easy for English people to pick up the language (it is notoriously difficult) but it is still interesting to see how languages evolve, and how they are all linked.
English is a mashup of lots of different languages and influences, which is one reason that it is hard to learn. Many of the terms that have been passed on to English from Arabic sources have come via Latin. Many Latin dictionaries adopted words from the Arabic language and then these were taken into English.
There are hundreds of terms in English that are thought to stem from Arabic words, including:
Arsenal which comes from دار صناعة dār sināʿa, translating to "house of manufacturing" but in practice it usually referred to government-run manufacturing, such as that used for the military and navy.
Caravan قيروان qaīrawān, which originally meant a convoy of travelers together, including military or trade convoys. If you look in the medieval Arabic dictionaries, this term is in every one, and can be traced to mediaeval Arabic writing. In the Western languages the word crept into Latin in around the 12th century.
Lemon ليمون līmūn. The Arabic people introduced much of the world to farming lemons and limes in mediaeval times. Greeks and Romans weren’t familiar with lemons and limes and the Arabic name for lemon was spelled اللامون al-lāmūn. The word has stood the test of time.
Other words that step from the Arabic language (in no specific order) include:
- Coffee
- Lute
- Guitar
- Assassin
- Hazard
- Mandarin
- Safari
The list could go on. Fascinatingly, there is still a lot of debate about the origin of certain words, and in some cases linguists can’t agree on a specific origin.
Modern Standard Arabic
Because there are so many variations of Arabic, and the Arabic language origin is so varied, there needs to be a specific system that is used as a standard. Modern Standard Arabic is exactly that.
You may also hear it referred to as Modern Written Arabic, which is a term used by linguists, but it means the type of language used across all Arab countries within important documentation such as law, as well as the media, literature, textbooks, and more.
The language is taught throughout the Arabic countries as well as in the Western world, often as a second language. In certain areas, people will have some vernacular differences in how they talk, but MSA makes it easier for people to communicate in one standard form.
Modern Standard Arabic
Because there are so many variations of Arabic, and the Arabic language origin is so varied, there needs to be a specific system that is used as a standard. Modern Standard Arabic is exactly that.
You may also hear it referred to as Modern Written Arabic, which is a term used by linguists, but it means the type of language used across all Arab countries within important documentation such as law, as well as the media, literature, textbooks, and more.
The language is taught throughout the Arabic countries as well as in the Western world, often as a second language. In certain areas, people will have some vernacular differences in how they talk, but MSA makes it easier for people to communicate in one standard form.
As well as Arabic variations, there is also Classical Arabic. This is the sort of language that was used in ancient religious text and isn’t as relevant conversationally, but if you are studying the Quran and the history of religion and religious festivals in the Arabic world, then it may be relevant.
When you are learning Arabic as a second language, you should start with Modern Standard Arabic rather than learning a local dialect. It gives you a foundation for your language and can help you to understand more of what people are saying to you, more quickly.
When you work with a language tutor to learn Arabic they will likely start you with terms from MSA. The two are closely linked and once you understand Modern Standard Arabic, Classical Arabic becomes easier. It is a little bit like the difference between Old English such as Shakespearean language, and the sort of language used in the UK today.
As explained by Arab Academy: “Quranic (classical) Arabic is more common in literature and writing while MSA is more commonly spoken. Because both are similar, with a few minor differences, most Arabs can be taught one and quickly learn the other.”
Start Your Learning Journey
Ready to start to learn Arabic and how to speak this ancient language? We have many different tutors waiting to help you, and you can reach out to an Arabic tutor right here on Superprof today to take lessons online or in person.
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