“Nadwat Sībawayh”: strengthening the dialogue between eastern and western academic approaches
The “Nadwat Sībawayh” is a joint initiative led by Jean Druel (Dominican Institute in Cairo) and Zübeyt Nalçakan (Kahramanmaraş University, Turkey). This project aims to bridge the gap between Arabophone researchers and those working in European languages in the field of studies on Sībawayh and his Kitāb.
In the Arab world, scholars often perceive Orientalist studies as hostile to Islam. However, this mistrust is gradually fading, and a dialogue with Western research is slowly emerging, except in the field of Arabic linguistics. This domain remains deeply divided: most Arabophone researchers lack proficiency in European languages, and their work, rarely published in international journals, remains largely unknown. While researchers working in European languages often accuse their Arabophone colleagues of adopting a defensive approach to the Arabic language, Arabophone scholars criticize Western researchers for their limited understanding of grammatical texts.
To overcome these tensions, the “Nadwat Sībawayh” proposes a three-phase program:
- 2025: Eight sessions hosted by the Dominican Institute in Cairo, either in-person or online, will provide Arabophone researchers with a platform to present their work on Sībawayh and his Kitāb. These sessions will be translated into French, and English, published on YouTube, and summaries will be featured in an academic journal.
- 2026: Eight new sessions will invite Western researchers to present their studies. These contributions will also be disseminated in the three languages.
- 2027: An international conference will bring the two academic communities together for in-depth discussions on a theme defined during the first two years.
This ambitious project aspires to create a unique space for dialogue, where the perspectives of Arabophone and Western researchers complement each other, enriching linguistic studies on Sībawayh and his Kitāb.
- January 25 , 2025: Ramzi Baalbaki, “The Foundations of Arabic Linguistic Theory and the Influence of Sībawayh’s Kitāb on it”
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February 27, 2025: Abderrahmane Boudraa, “Analysis of the methodology for reading Sībawayh’s Kitāb.”