Journal of Arabic Language & Literature

Geographical Linguistic Elements in Arabic Travelogues (from Third to Eighth Century AH)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Zahra Hadavi Khalilabad 1
Hosein Imanian 2
Rouhollah Sayyadinejad 2

1 PhD Candidate in Arabic Language and Literature Kashan University, Kashan, Iran

2 Associate Professor in Department of Language and Literature, Kashan University, Kashan, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/jall.2025.90884.1479
Abstract
Geographical writings and travelogues constitute invaluable repositories of knowledge regarding the ancient world, offering contemporary scholars profound insights into the intellectual paradigms, discursive practices, rituals, and belief systems of diverse civilizations. The genre of travel writing and human geography emerged around the third century AH (After Hijra) and reached its zenith during the fourth century AH. Within these texts, authors frequently—though with varying degrees of emphasis—make explicit references to linguistic phenomena. As an emerging subfield, geographical linguistics (geolinguistics) seeks to scrutinize these historical texts to reconstruct a comprehensive mapping of linguistic and dialectal varieties, alongside their spatial distribution across various regions. By extracting geolinguistic components from Arabic travelogues spanning the third to eighth centuries AH and analyzing the compiled linguistic data, this study underscores the cultural, political, and socio-economic significance of these historical records for contemporary researchers.Given the paucity of dedicated, standalone treatises on the linguistic dynamics within post-Islamic conquests, historical travelogues serve as authoritative and primary source materials. They effectively demonstrate the extent of linguistic, religious, and political hegemony exerted by various groups or ruling dynasties, particularly Islamic empires, across disparate territories—thereby necessitating this line of inquiry. The primary objective of this study is to examine the diachronic development of the linguistic elements and interrelationships reflected in travelogues from the third to ninth centuries AH. The analysis reveals that multilingualism, regional dialectal features, the geographical distribution of languages and vernaculars, comparative lexical structures, subjective aesthetic evaluations of certain dialects, and the etymological origins of toponyms and anthroponyms constitute the predominant linguistic themes embedded in these narratives. Ultimately, each of these thematic elements unravels complex social, religious, historical, and geopolitical dynamics inherent to the diverse territories of the Islamic world.
 
 

Keywords

Geographical Linguistics
Arabic Travelogues
Linguistic Elements
Duality of Language
Bilingualism
Subjects
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