The Damascus branch of the Union of Arab Writers hosted a seminar today, Thursday, titled "The History of Arabic from Inscriptions to Letters," which examined the newly published encyclopedic book of the same title, spanning from inscriptions and physical evidence to the stages of the evolution of the script.
The History of Arabic Between Inscriptions and Common Narratives
Researcher Dr. Tariq Al-Arefi, the seminar director, spoke about the importance of the Arabic language as a means of communication and a memory for the nation, reviewing milestones in the development of writing from the earliest stone inscriptions. Dr. Ammar Al-Nahar, a professor of Islamic Arab History at Damascus University, emphasized that reading the history of the language is inseparable from studying society and intellectual transformations.
Al-Nahar pointed out that the author relied on methodological skepticism in studying the historical origin of Arabic and did not treat the views of Orientalists as final judgments. He highlighted the necessity of distinguishing between hypotheses and archaeological evidence, citing historical stories that the study proved false, based on the premise that the prevalence of a narrative does not substitute for researching its origin.
Arabic as a Product of Civilizational Interaction Across Ages
The book's author, Dr. Amer Daffar, clarified that preparing the book took approximately five years, during which he relied on more than 150 sources and references in Arabic, English, and French. He explained that his study is based on examining inscriptions and comparing ancient languages, offering a critical reading of the terms Semitic and Hamitic.
Daffar paused to discuss the linguistic and civilizational links between the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula, and Iraq, citing inscriptions from the region and similarities between Arabic and the languages of Ugarit, Canaanites, and Amorites. He affirmed the importance of relying on inscriptions and linguistic comparison when researching the origins and evolution of Arabic.
The Academic Journey of Dr. Amer Daffar
Dr. Amer Abdul Razzaq Daffar, born in Hama in 1978, holds two degrees in History and Islamic Studies, as well as a master's and a doctorate in Modern and Contemporary Arab History. He is an assistant professor and History coordinator at Lusail University in Qatar, and has authored approximately ten books, seven of which have been published.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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