Some discrepancies in the reasoning of the Arab grammarians

Abstract

In this article, the author discusses the role of grammarians and how linguistic studies has become prominent in the Arabic scholarship. He states that it was as a result of Islam, and the need for accurate study and exegesis of the Koran, that linguistic studies assumed such a major role. A large number of very competent grammars were written, dealing at varying lengths with the various aspects of Arabic grammar. Not infrequently, however, the grammarians found themselves at variance with each other, presenting two different, and to their way of thinking apparently sound points of view about the same aspect of the language. It is the intention of this article to present and illustrate some of these discrepancies.