Arabic and Linguistic Authority: Studies in Programming

Abstract

This article opens with Madkour’s observation that ancient linguists "could not shake off the constraints of the past, and did not dare  record anything of the language of the 20th century. They could not have done it, and the question requires greater authority and a  stronger linguistic argument." The article analyzes Madkour’s statement, particularly focusing on the notion of "the greatest authority  and the strongest linguistic argument," with the assumption that the primary goal of linguists was not to dominate the language but to  present a descriptive study of Arabic and derive normative rules from it. Through this analysis, the study explores how authority and  linguistic legitimacy played a role in the development of language rules and the preservation of Arabic, as well as the constraints placed  upon language evolution by traditional linguistic norms.