Arabic-L:LING:Number system prediction reaction

[Dilworth Parkinson]

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Arabic-L: Wed 27 Feb 2008
Moderator: Dilworth Parkinson <dilworth_parkinson at byu.edu>
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1) Subject:Number system prediction reaction

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1)
Date: 27 Feb 2008
From:"Ola Moshref" <omoshref at gmail.com>
Subject:Number system prediction reaction

barakaat-ak Shaikh Schub!

I'm interested to learn about any of the Arabic grammatical rules that  
has
ever died out over the long history, because my knowledge is
certainly limited. The near null proper use of case marking, numeral 
+counted
noun, feminine plural nuun niswa, dual inflections, etc should support  
your
prophecy. If, over their long history, Arabs never spoke as they wrote  
and
literary heritage is no evidence of the layman's language proficiency,
then I wonder why it had to take 15 centuries for one "grammatical  
'system'
to be officially recognized as 'extinct'"!

I like your phrase "its days are numbered" because it contrasts nicely  
with
the numberless days through which this 'lisaan 3arabiyy' has survived  
every
attempt of change.

Regards,

Ola Moshref
TA - University of Illinois

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