A Reference Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic

An accessibly-written, comprehensive handbook on the essential aspects of the structure of Arabic.

Karin C. Ryding (Author)

9780521777711, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 25 August 2005

736 pages
24.4 x 17 x 3.7 cm, 1.41 kg

A Reference Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic is a comprehensive handbook on the structure of Arabic. Keeping technical terminology to a minimum, it provides a detailed yet accessible overview of Modern Standard Arabic in which the essential aspects of its phonology, morphology and syntax can be readily looked up and understood. Accompanied by extensive carefully-chosen examples, it will prove invaluable as a practical guide for supporting students' textbooks, classroom work or self-study, and will also be a useful resource for scholars and professionals wishing to develop an understanding of the key features of the language. Grammar notes are numbered for ease of reference, and a section is included on how to use an Arabic dictionary, as well as helpful glossaries of Arabic and English linguistic terms and a useful bibliography. Clearly structured and systematically organised, this book is set to become the standard guide to the grammar of contemporary Arabic.

1. Introduction to Arabic
2. Modern Standard Arabic phonology and script
3. Arabic word structure: an overview
4. Basic Arabic sentence structures
5. Arabic noun types
6. Participles: active and passive
7. Noun inflections: gender, humanness, number, definiteness, and case
8. Construct phrases and nouns in apposition
9. Noun specifiers and quantifiers
10. Adjectives: form and function
11. Adverbs and adverbial expressions
12. Personal pronouns
13. Demonstrative pronouns and their functions
14. Relative pronouns and relative clauses
15. Arabic numerals and numeral phrases
16. Prepositions and prepositional phrases
17. Questions and question words
18. Connectives and conjunctions
19. Subordinating conjunctions: the particle 'inna and her sisters
20. The classes of Arabic verbs
21. Verb inflection: a summary
22. Form I the base form of the triliteral verb: verb types, verbal nouns and participles
23. Form II triliteral verb: verb types, verbal nouns, and participles
24. Form III triliteral verb: verb types, verbal nouns, and participles
25. Form IV triliteral verb: verb types, verbal nouns, and participles
26. Form V triliteral verb: verb types, verbal nouns, and participles
27. Form VI triliteral verb: verb types, verbal nouns, and participles
28. Form VII triliteral verb: verb types, verbal nouns, and participles
29. Form VIII triliteral verb: verb types, verbal nouns, and participles
30. Form IX triliteral verb: verb types, verbal nouns, and participles
31. Form X triliteral verb: verb types, verbal nouns, and participles
32. Forms XI-XV triliteral verb
33. Quadriliteral verbs: verb types, verbal nouns, and participles
34. Moods of the verb I: indicative and subjunctive
35. Moods of the verb II: jussive and imperative
36. Verbs of being, becoming, remaining, seeming
37. Negation and exception
38. Passive and passive-type expressions
39. Conditional and opative expressions.

Subject Areas: Linguistics [CF]