Historical Corpus documents 14 million Arabic words

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Experts behind the monumental Historical Corpus of the Arabic Language are lauding its completion as a transformative achievement, celebrating it as a significant milestone for the Arab world. The 127-volume corpus is a pioneering effort to document the evolution of the Arabic language, offering a linguistic and cultural legacy that will serve current and future generations.

This extensive project involved 780 contributors — including editors, reviewers, supervisors, and administrators — from 20 leading Arab institutions, such as language academies, universities, and research centres. Together, they produced a vast body of work that captures 12,141 roots and 348,406 citations from key sources, including the Holy Qur’an, Hadith, poetry, and prose, collectively amounting to approximately 14 million words.

The corpus was celebrated at a conference held during the 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair, which was led by Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Arabic Language Academy (ALA); Dr. Mohamed Safi Al Mosteghanemi, Secretary General of ALA and Executive Director of the Corpus; and Professor Dr. Mohammad Al-Saoudi, General Rapporteur of the Jordanian Team. Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority as well as researchers and media representatives attended the conference.

Speakers praised His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, for his steadfast support and commitment to this visionary project. They emphasised that His Highness’s guidance and investment in advanced technologies were instrumental in the efficient and timely completion of the project, reflecting his dedication to preserving the Arabic language and enriching it for the Arab world. This accomplishment not only safeguards the linguistic heritage of Arabic but also ensures its prominence among world languages for future generations.

A HISTORIC PROJECT PRESERVING ARAB HERITAGE: Mohammed Hassan Khalaf expressed pride in the Historical Corpus, underscoring its vital role in protecting the Arabic language and its cultural heritage. More than a lexicon, the corpus traces the history of Arabic vocabulary from its earliest uses in pre-Islamic times to the modern day. Khalaf credited the Ruler of Sharjah’s foresight and investment in technology for the project’s swift and efficient completion, which has resulted in the first comprehensive historical dictionary of the Arabic language.

COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENTATION OF ARABIC VOCABULARY EVOLUTION: Dr. Mohammed Safi Al Mosteghanemi highlighted that past attempts to document Arabic on this scale had faltered due to complexity and a lack of technology. He noted, “Unlike general dictionaries that define words, the Historical Corpus follows the development of Arabic terms from their earliest appearances in inscriptions and manuscripts through the centuries.” With terms from the Holy Quran, Hadith, and classical poetry, the corpus serves as a detailed record of Arabic’s evolution, capturing shifts in meaning over time.

THE CORPUS AS A CATALYST FOR MODERN ARAB CULTURE: Dr. Mohammed Al-Saoudi spoke to the corpus’s potential to inspire new terminology in fields like science, philosophy, and culture. He lauded the scholars who laboured to produce this corpus, calling it an invaluable resource for Arab engagement with other cultures and academic representation globally. Al-Saoudi stressed that the corpus will remain dynamic, undergoing updates to reflect the Arabic language’s continued growth and semantic changes.

The corpus is now accessible through a digital app and online via the corpus and the Sharjah Arabic Language Academy websites, ensuring wide-reaching access for users.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah also launched the “GPT Corpus Project,” an AI-powered feature enabling users to explore vocabulary and meanings more interactively, broadening accessibility across contemporary platforms.

The seven-year journey to complete the Historical Corpus of the Arabic Language reflects an unwavering commitment to preserving the Arabic language. Established by decree on December 18, 2016, the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah coordinated efforts across Arab institutions, leading to significant milestones, including the initiation of lexicographical editing in 2018 and the first trial volumes in 2020. In September 2024, the full corpus was announced as complete, marking a historic milestone for Arabic scholarship