Influence of Arabic on Spanish language up to the 15th century - Essay Example

Influence of Arabic on Spanish Language Up To the 15th Century Spanish language has elements of Arabic language borrowed in the prehistoric period. The interaction of the Spanish and the world has contributed to a number of changes to the language. Historians have observed that the interaction of the Arabs and Spanish people led to borrowing and usage of the Arabic language by the Spanish (Engelbretcht & Al Marzouqi 3). Borrowing of words from one culture and incorporating it to another culture is a common phenomenon among communities that lived together in prehistoric period. Historians have argued that the settlement of the Arabic speakers among the Spanish communities contributed to the use of Arabic language by the Spanish. This paper will argue the impact of Arabic language on the Spanish language by exploring factors that contributed to the influence. Muslim invasion Arab Muslim invaded the Iberian Peninsula in 711 and conquered it. The invasion ended the Visigothic Kingdom. The settlement of the Muslim Arab in the Iberian Peninsula influenced the lifestyle as evident by the immortalisation of the first Muslim general Tariq in the Ar. Gabal, previous referred as Calpe (Beale-Rivaya 9). The activities of Muslim Arab in the peninsula included converting the people of the Peninsular into the Islamic faith. Pharies argues in his book, A Brief History of the Spanish Language, that the presence of the Arabic speakers among the Spanish speakers influenced the language and the culture of the Spanish. Initially, the Spanish people were not Muslim (Penny 2). The Muslim Arabs taught the Islamic religion in Arabic, thus influencing the Spanish language. Penny (2) argues that the nature of influence that Arabic language and activity had to Spanish in the Peninsular of Bipartite nature. That is, the contribution through borrowing of thousand of thousands of words and political perspective that explains how Castilian managed to establish itself in the present day Spain. The dominance of the Arabic language among the Ibero-Romance was probably due to the following factors: first, the Muslim invaders inhabited the Latin speaking population and settled among the Latin speakers for several centuries, second, the forces that invaded the peninsular did not carry their women. Thus, the generation after the settlement of the invaders was a result of mixed marriages. Muslims in the early centuries tolerated their subjects. Scholarship on influence of Arabic language to the Spanish language has mentioned the above aspects as probable factors that promoted the influence of the Arabic language among the Latin speakers (Beale-Rivaya 8). Scholarships that attempt to explain the transmission of the Arabism to the Spanish language have argued that Mozarabic bridged between the Spanish and Arabic (Isabelli 5). Mozarabic is a language that is much closer to the Arabic language. Pharies posits that the Arabic language was the super stratum language in the Andalusia Romance and ad stratum to peninsular Romance. This argument believes that the influence of Arabic language did not only occur because of the superiority of the Muslim regime whose official language was Arabic, but also the influence of the other minor communities. Thus, the influence to the language did not only influence the Ibero-Romance but also other communities the felt the influence of the Arabic rule in Andalusia. Historians believe that a superior culture institute its influence through language instruction (Penny 8). The same is must have applied in influencing the language of the Spanish. The influence of the Roman Empire to Andalusia is evident through Italianisms of the Spanish vocabulary during the Renaissance. In the above case, bilingual interaction did not occur between the Italian speaking communities and the Spanish speaking communities. This attribute has influenced some scholars to believe that language borrowing does not only occur in an instance of bilingual interaction, but also through borrowing from the neighbouring communities. The Arabic language is evident to the Spanish language in the following areas: administration, military, housing, craft, place names, and agriculture (AlbulRahim 13). In administration language borrowed from the Arabic are: alcalde for mayor, barrio for neighbourhood, and alguacil for bailiff. In military language borrowed from Arabic, include almirante for admiral, alcazar for fortress and rehen for hostage. In housing language borrowed from Arabic, include alcoaba for bedroom, zaguan for hallway, azotea for terrace roof, and alquiler for rent. In agriculture the language borrowed from Arabic, include aceituna for olive, alubia for bean, arroz for rice, acequia for ditch, algodon for cotton, azucar for sugar, zanahoria for carrot and naranja for orange among others. In craft the Arabic language borrowed, include albanil for bricklayer, alfiler for a needle, alfarero for potter, and badana for a leather with poor quality. In commerce, the influence includes aduana for customs, arancel for tariff, almacen for storehouse, fanega for unit capacity. Arabic influence on place names includes Madrid, Guadalquivir, Caceres, and Guadarrama among others. The above language use among thousand of words borrowed from the Arabic language to the Spanish language. The language use did not only affect a single area such as politics of the Ibero-Romance but other social aspects such as trade, agriculture etc faced similar effects. This attribute tend to confirm the argument that settlement of communities together contribute to influence in culture (Isabelli 8). Communication between the Muslim conquerors and the conquered Spanish people had to settle on some language, which would be acceptable between the two groups. Disseminating their command to the conquered lot meant that the conqueror had to use its language most of the time. The subsequent events that took place after the Muslim regime attest to the fact that politic might influences the choice of language in the community. History records that Arabic language imprints to the Spanish language increased during the Castle kingdom in 12th century (Isabelli 10). The Almoravid conquest of the 12th century forced the settlers in Al Andalusia to move northwards because of their fear for their lives. The settlement of these communities in the northern parts of Spain led to intercultural exchanges, which included marriage and borrowing of language. The result of the above activities led to the spread of the Arabic language among the Spanish communities of the North. A notable effect of the immigration is the use of phrases in daily activities of the people of the North. The Resistance of the Muslim rules Most of the Hispano- Goths under the reign of the conquered King Visogothic accepted the reign of Muslim among them, thereby adapting the Arabic culture. However, some group did not accept the reign and took refuge beyond the Cantabrian Mountains. The group regrouped under the legendary King Pelayo, and resisted the Muslim rule. However, Pelayo died in 737 ushering King Leon to continue with the resistance against the Muslim rule. There activity forced the Muslim inhabitants to move southwards. History of the tenth century described the fortresses built by the Muslims in the Ebro Valley against the Leon forces as Castilla an Arabic word that meant a land of fortified castles. The Castilians who inhabited this region hardened because of the constant wars, which shaped their cultural lives. Each time Castilians battled, they acquired new languages, which they added to the Castilians language. Attributes such as quasi and unrefined democratic, and eccentric civilisation are common among the Castilians, which explains the influence alien languages to their culture. Historians have argued that the southern part of the peninsula inhabited by the Castilians succeeded in their resistance against the Muslims and vigoths. The language of the Castilians had some characteristics of simplified Latin, which they must have borrowed from the Basque. The vernacular that emanated from this culture seem note to have strong root of the Arabic language as opposed to other regions under the conquest of the Muslim. However, the political condition in Al-Andalusia did not remain the same. In 981, it became an independent country under Fernan Gonzalez (Random History 1). The recon quest process reached its peak in 1004 when the region formed small kingdoms, which defended the aggression from the north. Historians believe that the activities of the Muslim in the peninsula must have provoked the north, which led to further attack against the Muslim rule. The result of these events was linguistic penetration in the northern and south. Standard Spanish The work of Alfonso X, the King of Leon and Castle, led to the Standard Spanish. He introduced writing by spelling the characters, thus offering an opportunity for detecting vernacular pronunciation. This contrasts the Latin writing which traces its roots before the reforms in 1080 introduced by Council of Burgos (Beale-Rivaya 5). Historical material shows that Latin writing was evident in 12th and 13th century (Beale-Rivaya 6). These early writings before Alfonso X portrayed characteristics attributed to writer’s vernacular. The writing of these centuries revealed much on the political inclination of the region. The influence of Alfonso X was not only politically evident in the region, but it contributed to the disappearance of other languages that the Castilians used in their daily practices. Historians argue that scholarly activities of the King with communities that collaborated with him shaped the medium of exchange i.e. communication mode among the community (Islahi 14). It is notable that communities which communities that exercise their rule against other communities tends to learn and practice cultures that they observe from each other. This factor explains why the Arabic language influence is evident despite the request of Peninsula by the northern forces. The Alfonso X administration acknowledged the use of Castilian language, a factor that promoted the language in Spain (Beale-Rivaya 6). The region being religiously neutral had earlier abandoned the use of Latin language. The situation promoted the activities of Alfonso X in instituting Castilian language to his subject. Scholarships about language use during Alfonso regime indicates that his regime fully adopted the use of the Castilian language in all aspects, which featured in the administration (Islahi 12). Scientific activities among other social activities of the people used the Castilian language, thus influencing the culture of the region into adopted the standard Spanish. Imitating and copying of the language was common during the Alfonso reign. Some historical scholars argue that political situation of the Peninsular influenced the language spoken and written in the region (Beale-Rivaya 10). The political powers of this region weighed the most appropriate language that could promote the unity of the people of the peninsular and noted that Castilian language was the most effective. However, the influence of Arabic language was evident because of assimilation of various Arabic cultures. For instance, the use of Arabic word taifas to refer to kingdom was common in the language use among the Castilians. The common practise of such Arabic language element promoted its influence despite the reign of another king (Random History 1). Alfonso brought historian and other scholars together in exercising his rule among the Castilians. This factor offered an opportunity to the historians to use the words that they had borrowed from Latin, Mozorabs, Muslim, and Jew into their works. Judaeo-Arabic Historians have argued that rabbis, who were mainly Jews, took the chance of spreading Christianity in Europe. The letters that the Jews rabbis used to spread the Christian faith contained Judaeo-Arabic elements (Engelbretcht & Al Marzouqi 6). This situation occurred before fifteen century. The language spoken by the rabbis influenced their audience as observed in Parts of Spain and northern part of Africa where the Barbers speakers took the Christian and Muslim religion. These communities devoted their activities to influence the communities that they ministered to during these early ages. The conquest of the Spain led to expulsion of the Arabs Berbers who did not leave Spain without influence of their previous activities. Scholarships on language spoken by the Berbers of North Africa have pointed on similarity in some language among the Spanish and these Arab communities (Random History 1). This attests to the fact that some Judaeo Arabic language evident in Spanish today came from the Arabic cultures. Shaath (5) argues that before the eras or Islam and Christianity, there were elements of Jews community in the northern coastline of Africa, which extended to Tunisia. The scatter of Jews Arab communities in these regions probably took place during the destruction of the first temple that occurred around 586 B.C. The commonalities in the language spoken by the Jews in Maghreb and those in Europe tend to explain why instances of Arabic language were evident in the Spanish language. However, Shaath (12) further argues that the difference observed between the language command of the host community and the visiting communities contributed to assimilation of some words, which have formed part of the Spanish language. Preservation of the native language whenever a community migrated to another location is a common feature. However, the environmental factors such as political inclination of the host community, social aspects such as marriage led to generic form of the initial native language. The coexistence of the communities through trade, which is evident among the early communities in northern part of Africa moving to Europe through the peninsula Ibero-Romance, must have contributed to the influence of Arabic language to Spanish language (AlbulRahim 15). These activities could not take place without communication. These historical activities, which shaped the lives of the early communities, which visited the peninsula, left some landmark. Navigation activities The navigation activities of the Spanish also borrowed Arabic words in their activities. History records that Marco Polo; a navigator noticed the use of charts from Arabs sailors (Beale-Rivaya 8). The Arabs referred to this chart as a ramani, which became part of language used for sea charts in Spanish. The use Arabic language by the Spanish was not only apparent during the settlement or invasion of the Muslim to the peninsular of Ibero-Romance, but also through activities of Spanish communities that took part in exploration activities. The explorers reported their adventures to their communities by assimilating words they learnt. Such words are part of the borrowed language, which appear in Spanish. The Spanish community also took words from other communities including the Jewish Arabs who came to spread Christianity (Beale-Rivaya 9). These words supplemented their language, which did not have such words. A common feature with cultures living within a specific area or region is assimilation of cultural beliefs and other features that did not exist in their languages. In conclusion, the Arabic communities that intermingled with the Spanish communities in the early centuries led to cultural influences, which included usage of Arabic language in the Spanish language. The activities that led to Arab activities in the peninsula of Ibero-Romance included the invasion of the Muslims. The intention behind the invasion was not only to exercise their authority over the land, but also to spread Islamic religion. However, evidence of Jews Arabs activities along the northern coast of Africa traces its root before the invasion time, which explains instances of the Arabic language in between the Spanish before the invasion. There are thousands of words used by the Spanish speakers today, which traces the Arabic origin. The language appears in the following areas agriculture, commerce, housing, administration, craft, and navigation among other areas. The standard Spanish emanated from the works of Alfonso X who instituted Castilian during his administration. Work cited Engelbretcht, Guillermina & Al Marzouqi, Lolowa. Cucara Macara! Arabic influence in the Spanish language. Teacher, Learners and Curriculum Vol. 4, 2009. Web 7 May 2012 from http://www.zu.ac.ae/main/files/contents/edu/docs/journal/Engel.pdf Shaath, Nada. Arabic Influence on the Spanish Language. Web 7 May 2012 from http://www.arabic-socal.com/PDF/Arabic-influence-on-the-Spanish-language.pdf AlbulRahim, Saeed. Arabic influence on the Spanish language. Web 7 May 2012 http://www.scribd.com/doc/33446260/Arabic-Influence-on-the-Spanish-Language Islahi, A. Abdul. Contribution of Muslim Scholars to Economic Thought and Analysis. Web 7 May 2012 from http://islamiccenter.kau.edu.sa/english/Publications/Islahi/MUSLIM%20SCHOLARS.pdf Penny, Ralph. A History of the Spanish Language. Web 7 May 2012 from http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam033/2002025671.pdf Isabelli, A. Casilde & Nishida, Chiyo. Development of the Spanish Subjunctive in a Nine month Study-abroad Setting Web 7 May 2012 http://www.lingref.com/cpp/casp/6/paper1127.pdf Beale-Rivaya, Yasmine. On the Relationship between Mozarabic Sibilants and Andalusian Seseo. Web 7 May 2012 http://www.ehumanista.ucsb.edu/volumes/volume_14/Arabic/Beale_Rivaya.pdf Random History. The History of the Spanish Language. Web 7 May 2012 http://www.randomhistory.com/1-50/015spanish.html Read More