SIBF explores fascinating interplay between Arabic, Spanish

Titled “Language Migration Reading in the Arabic-Spanish Model,” the seminar was moderated by Ali Al Ameri, editorial manager of Publishers Weekly Arabic, and featured Spanish scholars Dr Ignacio Gutierrez de Teran and Dr Ignacio Fernando, alongside Moroccan poet Dr Salah Busarif and Tunisian linguist Huda Al-Hurmi.

Dr Salah Busarif opened the discussion with insights on Arabic’s ancient role as a language of documentation. “We often forget that Arabic predates Islam, serving as a tool for tribes to record their lives. It has roots so deep that its influence spans cultures and centuries,” he said. Reflecting on how language lives on in unexpected ways, he remarked, “Language is like a human being—it lives, it evolves, or it fades. Sometimes, my friends in Spain don’t realise the Arabic origins of words they use daily, yet these words are evidence of our intertwined histories.”

Highlighting a lesser-known migration of Arabic influence, Dr Ignacio Gutierrez de Teran discussed its spread to South America, an aspect often overshadowed by Arabic’s North American diaspora. He mentioned poets like Ilyās Farhāt and Fawzi Maalouf, Lebanese immigrants to Brazil whose poetry remained tied to their Arabic roots. "Farhāt never wrote in Portuguese but gained recognition in Arabic poetry, while Mahfud Massis embraced Spanish, embedding the language of his new homeland into his work, even as he held onto his Palestinian heritage," Dr de Teran noted. He concluded, “Language migration is more than words crossing borders; it’s an evolution of identity, a bridge between history and modernity.”

Dr Ignacio Fernando, a specialist in Andalusian Arabic influence on Spanish, paralleled language migration with human migration. "Languages, like people, transform as they travel," he explained. Drawing on Spanish vocabulary with Arabic roots, he shared examples like hasta (until), alheña (henna), and acicate (encourage), demonstrating Arabic's enduring impact on Spanish. “These words remind us of the linguistic legacy that Arabic has left on Spain, a bridge built over centuries of interaction,” he said.

For Tunisian linguist Huda Al-Hurmi, the seminar underscored the importance of celebrating these cross-cultural connections. “Language is the soul of culture, and understanding its migration helps us appreciate our shared human experience. The Arabic-Spanish model is a perfect example of how interaction enriches both languages,” she noted. Reading from her thesis, she concluded, “To study Andalusia is not just a historical exploration; it’s a journey into the heart of the Arabic and Islamic cultural legacy, one that continues to inspire and connect us.”

The panel further explored how Arabic’s influence on Spanish has endured beyond the eight centuries of Moorish rule in the Iberian Peninsula, with terms and linguistic roots that resonate in modern language. The session served as a reminder of the lasting ties that bridge Arabic and Spanish cultures through language.