A new edition of an acclaimed introduction to the Arabic language This introductory guide charts the history and development of the Arabic language from the earliest beginnings to modern times. Concentrating on the difference between the two types of Arabic - the classical standard language and the dialects - the author clearly explains the structure of the language, its historical context and its use in various literary and non-literary genres. Readers will gain an understanding of the role of Arabic as a cultural, religious and political world language and develop tools to discuss the language from a historical linguistic and a socio-linguistic perspective. Key Features * Covers all aspects of the history of Arabic, the Arabic linguistic tradition, Arabic dialects, sociolinguistics, and Arabic as a world language * Makes links between linguistic history and cultural history * Emphasises the role of contacts between Arabic and other languages New to this edition * Additional chapters on the structure of Arabic; Bilingualism; and Arabic pidgins and creoles * A full explanation of the use of conventional Arabic transcription and IPA characters * An updated bibliography * All chapters have been revised and updated in light of recent research Kees Versteegh is Emeritus Professor of Arabic and Islam at the University of Nijmegen. His publications include The Arabic Linguistic Tradition (1997), Arabic Grammar and Qur'anic Exegesis in Early Islam (1993) and he was the editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of Arabic Language and Linguistics (2006-2009).