Morphological Anomalies in Broken Plurals in the Book Irtishaaf Al-Darb by Abu Hayyan Al-Andalusi

Abstract

Morphological anomalies are a significant phenomenon affecting the structure of Arabic words for a variety of reasons and justifications. Scholars have discussed this phenomenon in numerous chapters, reaching its peak during the maturing era of various linguistic schools. Abu Hayyan al-Andalusi represents the link between the Andalusian and Basran schools, and some researchers consider him to have a middle ground between the various schools. Therefore, his views hold special significance among these schools, which he compiled in his comprehensive encyclopedic works, including his book (Irtishāf al-Darb min Lisan al-Arab), in which he addressed up to ninety issues of morphological anomalies. These issues were distributed over various topics in nouns, verbs, verbal nouns, derivatives, broken plurals, diminutives, relative pronouns, and others. The issues of broken plurals were among the most comprehensive discussions of morphological anomalies. This research presents a sample of selected issues on morphological anomalies in broken plurals, cited by Abu Hayyan in his book (Irtishāf al-Darb min Lisan al-Arab), with each issue discussed within the framework of what scholars before and after him have mentioned. This discussion aims to understand his approach to these issues and derive his own approach to them, serving the efforts of this great scholar and benefiting researchers of his methodology.