Arabic in Context: Essays on Language, Dialects, and Culture in Honour of Martin R. Zammit
About this ebook
Spanning decades of dedicated research and teaching, Professor Zammit’s career has been marked by a profound engagement with the Arabic language and its diverse dialects, as well as its historical and cultural intersections with Maltese and Syriac.
The volume features a carefully curated collection of essays authored by distinguished scholars, reflecting the breadth and depth of Professor Zammit’s academic interests. Topics range from Arabic dialectology and phonetics to linguistic contact phenomena and the grammaticalisation processes in Semitic languages. Contributions explore the linguistic heritage of Central Asia, the Judeo-Arabic traditions of Libya and Syria, and the influences of Arabic on Maltese toponymy and idiomatic expressions. Together, these studies exemplify the rich interdisciplinarity and intellectual rigour that characterise Professor Zammit’s work.
This Festschrift not only honours Professor Zammit’s enduring scholarly impact but also serves as a vital resource for linguists, philologists, and researchers in the fields of Arabic and Semitic studies. It stands as a testament to his dedication to fostering academic inquiry and dialogue, inspiring both colleagues and students alike. This volume ensures that his scholarly contributions will continue to influence and inform the field for years to come.
About the author
Anthony J. Frendo is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, and Emeritus Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology and the Hebrew Bible as well as Senior Fellow of the University of Malta. He has degrees in Philosophy, Theology, Near Eastern Studies, Biblical Exegesis, and holds a PhD in Biblical Archaeology from University College, University of London. He is the author of three books (Pre-Exilic Israel, the Hebrew Bible, and Archaeology: Integrating Text and Artefact, 2011, Approaching Biblical Archaeology, 2021, and How to read Ancient Texts: With a Focus on select Phoenician Inscriptions from Malta 2024), as well as numerous articles, book chapters, and reviews. He was a Visiting Scholar at Sede Boqer in the Negev, Israel, besides having been twice elected Visiting Scholar at Wolfson College, Oxford.
Kurstin Gatt is a Senior Lecturer within the Department of Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures at the Faculty of Arts, University of Malta. He completed his Bachelor’s degree with honours in Oriental Studies (Arabic) at the University of Malta, followed by a Master’s degree in Arabic Studies from the University of Leipzig and a Ph.D. in Arabic Studies from Freie Universität Berlin in Germany. His research interests span Arabic sociolinguistics, political discourse, paremiology, and the linguistic relationships between Arabic and Maltese.
