Abstract
This article attempts to highlight the Indian contribution to language sciences with special reference to Arabic. This relationship dates back to the early medieval age, when a number of Indian scholars as well as Arabic scholars evinced interest in each other’s languages. This resulted in the opening of several channels for linguistic and intellectual interactions. This article claims that the Arabs learnt some basic and fundamental concepts in their linguistic sciences from India. The first section highlights the important place of language sciences in India. The second section discusses the channels of interaction between India and the Arab world. The third section illustrates Indian linguistic concepts that are believed to have influenced Arabic linguistic sciences. The fourth section offers some general remarks on the extent of Indian contribution and its impact on the development of Arabic linguistic sciences. This article hopes to fill a gap in the understanding of the history of sciences, especially linguistics in the non-western tradition.
Keywords
Indian contribution, Arabic language sciences, linguistic interaction, history of linguistics, non-western tradition
Full Text
This article attempts to highlight the Indian contribution to language sciences with special reference to Arabic. This relationship dates back to the early medieval age, when a number of Indian scholars as well as Arabic scholars evinced interest in each other’s languages. This resulted in the opening of several channels for linguistic and intellectual interactions. This article claims that the Arabs learnt some basic and fundamental concepts in their linguistic sciences from India. The first section highlights the important place of language sciences in India. The second section discusses the channels of interaction between India and the Arab world. The third section illustrates Indian linguistic concepts that are believed to have influenced Arabic linguistic sciences. The fourth section offers some general remarks on the extent of Indian contribution and its impact on the development of Arabic linguistic sciences. This article hopes to fill a gap in the understanding of the history of sciences, especially linguistics in the non-western tradition.