From the heritage of melody of the Levantine Sea: Tathqif al-Lisan wa Talqih al-Jinan by Ibn Makki al-Siqilli, d. 501 AH

Abstract

This review presents Tathqif al-Lisan wa Talqih al-Jinan by Ibn Makki al-Siqilli as a significant work of Arabic linguistic heritage concerned with correcting speech and documenting forms of linguistic error and solecism. It introduces the author and his scholarly context, then explains the motives behind the book’s composition, particularly the spread of linguistic mistakes among both the general public and some specialists, and the need to preserve the integrity of Arabic usage. The review analyzes the structure of the book and its main themes, including scribal and reading errors, common linguistic mistakes, specialists’ errors, linguistic culture, and rules of Arabic writing. It also highlights Ibn Makki’s method of classifying and correcting errors, and his reliance on grammatical, linguistic, hadith, and literary sources. The review emphasizes the book’s scholarly value in the history of Arabic linguistic studies, as it combines observation, correction, instruction, and the preservation of usage evidence in a changing linguistic environment.