@sibawayhi.bsky.social
Ah the treachery of translation! Are you sure that قرّبت does not involve an implicit object? Eg “you made (your guess) closer?”
November 17, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Ah the treachery of translation! Are you sure that قرّبت does not involve an implicit object? Eg “you made (your guess) closer?”
Ok for those not familiar with Cairene Arabic: “Cairo” is pronounced with qaf not hamza. I made a bilingual pun! Ain’t that fun?
November 17, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Ok for those not familiar with Cairene Arabic: “Cairo” is pronounced with qaf not hamza. I made a bilingual pun! Ain’t that fun?
(Although I would not be surprised if Pinker’s tale is funnier in its way. His “The Language Instinct” is a masterpiece of unintentional comedy.)
November 17, 2025 at 8:09 PM
(Although I would not be surprised if Pinker’s tale is funnier in its way. His “The Language Instinct” is a masterpiece of unintentional comedy.)
I would do that, but I’m afraid to piss it off. I need it to obey me, so I feed it.
November 17, 2025 at 6:36 PM
I would do that, but I’m afraid to piss it off. I need it to obey me, so I feed it.
Except in Cairo. 😂
November 17, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Except in Cairo. 😂
Alternative reading: sometimes فُعِلَ should be read as an impersonal verb rather than passive voice. Like “it rained” or “there was a commotion” etc. So سُهِرَ as “there was a/some سهر”
November 17, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Alternative reading: sometimes فُعِلَ should be read as an impersonal verb rather than passive voice. Like “it rained” or “there was a commotion” etc. So سُهِرَ as “there was a/some سهر”
Possible, but I'm a little more inclined to think there's some kind of contrast involved in ما أنت إلا and إنما أنت . But who knows?
November 17, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Possible, but I'm a little more inclined to think there's some kind of contrast involved in ما أنت إلا and إنما أنت . But who knows?
Oops just noticed your error: it’s sayra not sayru
November 16, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Oops just noticed your error: it’s sayra not sayru
Been there done that in Yemen. Weirdest experience in my life, sitting around a communal bowl of rice, reaching in, squeezing a blob, shoving into mouth. Totally normal to the locals (who did offer me a spoon, bless’em) Do NOT use your left hand!
November 16, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Been there done that in Yemen. Weirdest experience in my life, sitting around a communal bowl of rice, reaching in, squeezing a blob, shoving into mouth. Totally normal to the locals (who did offer me a spoon, bless’em) Do NOT use your left hand!
تبريك barking the car ;)
November 16, 2025 at 11:03 PM
تبريك barking the car ;)
Haha! That’s only one of many tiny bits of language in the Kitāb that mystify me!
November 16, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Haha! That’s only one of many tiny bits of language in the Kitāb that mystify me!
Golly! I quoted a few of your terms and commented on them! I did not and do not have the slightest opinion about you. If I gave you that impression it was not intentional. I think you have an interesting topic but I question some of your language. Does that really warrant ad hominem attacks?
November 16, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Golly! I quoted a few of your terms and commented on them! I did not and do not have the slightest opinion about you. If I gave you that impression it was not intentional. I think you have an interesting topic but I question some of your language. Does that really warrant ad hominem attacks?
Plus, in the vicinity he mentions إنما أنت سيرُ and stresses that it doesn’t involve a “verb” فِعل
November 16, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Plus, in the vicinity he mentions إنما أنت سيرُ and stresses that it doesn’t involve a “verb” فِعل
For the record I haven’t posted anything about your article, only responded to your tweets. My bad!
November 16, 2025 at 10:24 PM
For the record I haven’t posted anything about your article, only responded to your tweets. My bad!
Yes, but the tricky bit here is this is in the midst of chapters discussing metaphor/simile and سعة الكلام. And unfortunately Sībawayhi’s prose is very elliptical. For me the problem is I have a hard time coming up with an intuitively satisfying reading of such expressions.
November 16, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Yes, but the tricky bit here is this is in the midst of chapters discussing metaphor/simile and سعة الكلام. And unfortunately Sībawayhi’s prose is very elliptical. For me the problem is I have a hard time coming up with an intuitively satisfying reading of such expressions.
No need to be snarky, I’m not troll, I’ll find it on academia.edu
November 16, 2025 at 10:15 PM
No need to be snarky, I’m not troll, I’ll find it on academia.edu
I’d love to! But not for $15/48 hours. That’s oppressive.
November 16, 2025 at 10:03 PM
I’d love to! But not for $15/48 hours. That’s oppressive.
He had no concept of “language” qua entity.
November 16, 2025 at 9:50 PM
He had no concept of “language” qua entity.
P.S. “Language” is not one of Sībawayhi’s words. كلام means roughly “(discursive) speech)” and لغة means “(local) diction”.
November 16, 2025 at 9:49 PM
P.S. “Language” is not one of Sībawayhi’s words. كلام means roughly “(discursive) speech)” and لغة means “(local) diction”.
Makes sense literally, but then why would one say such a thing? It must have some metaphorical sense, I think.
November 16, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Makes sense literally, but then why would one say such a thing? It must have some metaphorical sense, I think.
Possibly. “You’re a mere errand-boy”? Repeated to rub it in?
November 16, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Possibly. “You’re a mere errand-boy”? Repeated to rub it in?