Morphological Alternation in Colloquial Terms in Qaṣd al-Sabil by al-Muḥibbi (d. 1111 AH): Presentation and Analysis

Abstract

This study examines the phenomenon of morphological alternation in colloquial terms as found in Qaṣd al-Sabīl fīmā fī al-Lugha al-ʿArabiyya min al-Dakhīl by al-Muḥibbī (d. 1111 AH). It seeks to determine the extent to which these terms can be considered part of Classical Arabic. The focus is on analyzing commonly used colloquial forms such as mabghūḍ ("hated"), mubharraj ("glittered"), and muṣān ("protected"), which some linguists have labeled as incorrect or non-standard. However, the study argues that these forms may indeed be valid and linguistically sound when built on triliteral roots or established Arabic morphological patterns.
The research adopts a descriptive, analytical, and comparative methodology, relying on authoritative linguistic sources such as al-Khalīl, Ibn Fāris, al-Zabīdī, books of correction (taṣḥīḥ), and commentaries on al-Faṣīḥ to trace the origins of these forms. The study concludes that morphological alternation—between patterns such as mafʿūl and mafʿal, or fāʿila and mafʿūla—is an inherent phenomenon in Arabic. Many colloquial forms can be traced back to authentic Arabic dialects or accepted morphological constructions.
The significance of this research lies in correcting certain linguistic assumptions about colloquial Arabic, and offering an etymological reading that demonstrates the eloquence (faṣāḥa) of what is often considered incorrect or corrupt usage. This contributes to a broader understanding of Arabic as a flexible language capable of internal development.