Nabataean words in Arabic dictionaries, A comparative study in the Semitic languages

Abstract

The Arabic language belongs to the family of Semitic languages, which share some roots and words due to their Semitic linguistic heritage or by borrowing from one another. This research aims to study the words considered Nabataean in Arabic dictionaries, attempting to identify their roots and derivations in Semitic languages and understand their Semitic commonalities. Through comparative study, it becomes clear that some Nabataean words are used across Semitic languages, based on Akkadian, Aramaic, Hebrew, and Syriac dictionaries, which comparative semantic studies consider part of the Semitic common heritage. Some words undergo changes in sound or meaning, and a word may appear in one or more of the Semitic languages.