Ferdinand de Saussure’s Influence on Arab Linguistic Heritage

Tammam Hassan’s Reinterpretation of Linguistic Thought

Abstract

This paper explores how contemporary Arab scholars have approached the Arabic language—both in its structure and meaning—through modern linguistic methodologies, with particular emphasis on the descriptive approach. It investigates the intellectual foundations that shaped their understanding, the extent of external influences on their thought, and whether such influences were partial or comprehensive. Within this scope, the study examines the intellectual relationship between Tammam Hassan—one of the leading modern Arab linguists—the classical Arab linguistic tradition, and the structuralist framework of Ferdinand de Saussure, the founder of modern linguistics. Although Hassan never explicitly acknowledged any influence from Saussure, a close reading of his works reveals a latent presence of structuralist principles. This prompts questions about whether this absence of acknowledgment was deliberate or unconscious, and how Hassan succeeded in reshaping linguistic thought through the convergence of heritage and modern linguistic theory. It further considers whether his stance represents a deliberate critical position or an attempt to safeguard the distinct identity of Arab linguistic scholarship.