Segmental studies in heritage: from the indications of grammarians and linguists to the theorizing of Muslim philosophers.

Abstract

This study is a modest attempt aiming to revive those efforts related to segmental studies, propagated by the leaders of Arabic linguistics in various sources of linguistic and philosophical heritage at different research levels. The return to our phonetic and analytical heritage reveals that grammarians and linguists, in particular, did not allocate significant attention to segmental studies. This type of research did not receive ample focus and care from them, similar to their treatment of performative phenomena—such as intonation and rhythm—beyond segmentation. However, the intentional absence of such studies in our linguistic heritage, as depicted by grammarians and linguists, by no means implies neglect or disregard by these leaders towards segmental analysis of Arabic linguistic structures.