Ebionite Arabia and the development of the Arabic language

ramones1986 · Nov 20, 2014

Previously, I posted two different scenarios dealing with the development of the Arabic language in a POD where Muhammad converted into two different sects of Christianity:

This time, the POD is the same era as OTL, but with a different Christian sect: Muhammad of Banu Hashim clan converted into Ebionism and spread its teachings among the Arabs. How it will affect the development of the Arabic language and its literature, for example?

LSCatilina · Nov 20, 2014

Well, it may be interestingly similar (not the same obviously) than IOTL early devellopment : after all there's speculation abut early Islam being influenced by Judeo-Nazareans beliefs.

Of course, being more ingrained in tribal politics, it would be harder to really devellop it outside Hejaz. But eventually, trough commercial and political influence, it may end strengthen the bipolarisation of Arabia : Christian (while divided) and ERE influenced North-West; pluri-religious (Judaism, Arabic religion, Persian religions) and Persian influenced South-East.

As for litterary devices : maybe a less Arabo-centered litterature and cultural tropes, identifications with northern Arabs and Aramean peoples.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Hekaz knowing same turmoil than Abyssinia, struggles between different religious groups, with the self-perception as a religious stronghold.

Given that Christianism was more immediatly seen as an Axumite feature than Roman at this point, maybe a greater Ethiopian-Arabic mutual acculturation?

ramones1986 · Nov 20, 2014

LSCatilina said:
Of course, being more ingrained in tribal politics, it would be harder to really devellop it outside Hejaz. But eventually, through commercial and political influence, it may end strengthen the bipolarisation of Arabia : Christian (while divided) and ERE influenced North-West; pluri-religious (Judaism, Arabic religion, Persian religions) and Persian influenced South-East.

Can you clarify about Arabia's bipolarization?

The Ubbergeek · Nov 20, 2014

BTW Would that ensure a better future for what is now called Modern South Arabian Languages? (Not a direct sibling(s) of Arabic, but another branch of Semitic language(s))

WanderingWanderer · Nov 20, 2014

Ebionite is Unitarian instead of Trinitarian, right? Might not be all that different from OTL Islam, as least doctrine-wise. Maybe more emphasis on Jerusalem as place of pilgrimage, and more about Jesus as Messiah, less emphasis on Muhammad's special status.

As for the development of Arabic, do the Ebionites have their own gospel(s)? Perhaps an Arabic gospel becomes the important Arabic literature instead of the Koran in OTL.

LSCatilina · Nov 20, 2014

ramones1986 said:
Can you clarify about Arabia's bipolarization?

Well, having Hejaz, northern Arabia, maybe Yamamah and Najd forming a religious-cultural entity, relativly influenced by Byzantine and Eastern Churches continuum; and the rest (Yemen, Oman, Bahrein, etc.) being (as it traditionally was) in Persian orbit.

As The Ubbergeek pointed out, it may mean a survivance of Southern Arabic languages as distinct and percieved as such from Northern Arabic languages, a lasting opposition to what was IOTL Kaisits and Kalbids.
Basically two identites based on their own confrontation (more or less backed by Byzantium and Persia), and then searching in their structures (religious and political) its rationalisation.

Delvestius · Nov 20, 2014

Assuming the Bedouins still bust out of Arabia and conquer swathes of territory, eventually establishing their language across North Africa, I imagine the regional dialects would eventually be considered distinct languages since there would be no religious association with the Arabic language. If Arabic is contained to the Middle East it may remain one language with dialects evolving later. In any case as long as the South Arabians were converted to Christianity I could very well see them surviving.

The Ubbergeek · Nov 20, 2014

LSCatilina said:
As The Ubbergeek pointed out, it may mean a survivance of Southern Arabic languages as distinct and percieved as such from Northern Arabic languages, a lasting opposition to what was IOTL Kaisits and Kalbids.

To be technical, they are distinct already linguistically speaking, not the same branches of semitic family or such - the details I forgot. But without Islam and it's ties with Arabic and the arabisation process.... it would fare better.

ramones1986 · Nov 20, 2014

LSCatilina said:
Well, having Hejaz, northern Arabia, maybe Yamamah and Najd forming a religious-cultural entity, relativly influenced by Byzantine and Eastern Churches continuum; and the rest (Yemen, Oman, Bahrein, etc.) being (as it traditionally was) in Persian orbit.
.

Interesting scenario, indeed, although OTL Qatar will be included in the latter (Persian orbit), right?

ramones1986 · Nov 20, 2014

WanderingWanderer said:
As for the development of Arabic, do the Ebionites have their own gospel(s)? Perhaps an Arabic gospel becomes the important Arabic literature instead of the Koran in OTL.

I think they have their own Gospels, although the details were quite patchy at best.

ramones1986 · Nov 21, 2014

Bumping.....

ramones1986 · Nov 22, 2014

LSCatilina said:
As The Ubbergeek pointed out, it may mean a survivance of Southern Arabic languages as distinct and percieved as such from Northern Arabic languages, a lasting opposition to what was IOTL Kaisits and Kalbids.

Since South Arabia includes Hadramaut, I see some interesting butterflies in the history of the whole Malay archipelago, especially the language. Why? Because a lot of Malays traced their ancestry to the said region, and the fact that Hadhrami traders played an important role in spreading Islam in Malaysia.

The Ubbergeek · Nov 22, 2014

ramones1986 said:
Since South Arabia includes Hadramaut, I see some interesting butterflies in the history of the whole Malay archipelago, especially the language. Why? Because a lot of Malays traced their ancestry to the said region, and the fact that Hadhrami traders played an important role in spreading Islam in Malaysia.

That said, as I wondered did they brought Arabic only, or also their own Southern Arabic language, if that is in the right region?

ramones1986 · Nov 22, 2014

The Ubbergeek said:
That said, as I wondered did they brought Arabic only, or also their own Southern Arabic language, if that is in the right region?

Pre-Islamic Hadramaut has a language of their own, which is part of the ancient South Arabian family. Maybe the Arabic dialect of the Hadramis has a substrate.

In this scenario, because TTL Hadhramis preserved their language, we will see some "Yemenite" words in ATL Malay.

ramones1986 · Nov 22, 2014

Delvestius said:
Assuming the Bedouins still bust out of Arabia and conquer swathes of territory, eventually establishing their language across North Africa, I imagine the regional dialects would eventually be considered distinct languages since there would be no religious association with the Arabic language

Well, ATL Bedouins could be either assimilated or their language will became a koiné as they intermarried with native people like the Berbers, then evolved into a separate language.

WanderingWanderer · Nov 22, 2014

In this scenario, because TTL Hadhramis preserved their language, we will see some "Yemenite" words in ATL Malay.

Heh, OTL Malay is a mixture of multiple languages, not just Arabic but for basically every colonial power the Malay Archipelago has come in contact with (today a lot of English words is added daily as part of the language!). A Malay language teacher of mine once joked that original Malay words still used today can be counted in one hand, it certainly was not a big exaggeration.

Note the Malays use Arabic letters/numerals for our "Jawi" script, in OTL largely influenced by learning Arabic to read the Koran and calligraphy to write Koranic verses, important for both religious and as an art form (I can read and write Jawi, but my calligraphy is as terrible as my normal hand writing

). Any ATL Arabic language development will affect the development of Jawi calligraphy too.

Delvestius · Nov 22, 2014

ramones1986 said:
Well, ATL Bedouins could be either assimilated or their language will became a koiné as they intermarried with native people like the Berbers, then evolved into a separate language.

Yeh, either outcome would depend on more variables. I could see both extinction and creolization of Arabic dialects within the greater Arabic region in TTL as more probable to the OTL option in which religious and nationalistic standards have twisted modern analysis of the Arabic languages.

ramones1986 · Nov 22, 2014

WanderingWanderer said:
Note the Malays use Arabic letters/numerals for our "Jawi" script, in OTL largely influenced by learning Arabic to read the Koran and calligraphy to write Koranic verses, important for both religious and as an art form (I can read and write Jawi, but my calligraphy is as terrible as my normal hand writing ). Any ATL Arabic language development will affect the development of Jawi calligraphy too.

The Jawi script will be one of the things that will be butterflied in this scenario, because the ATL Hadhramis are mostly Miaphysite, with a significant Ebionite minority, speaking a South Arabian (or in this case, "Yemenite") language. Hence, some of their words will be incorporated to Malay, but the writing system is different: they used Kawi script, which is an Indic abugida.

ramones1986 · Nov 24, 2014

LSCatilina said:
As The Ubbergeek pointed out, it may mean a survivance of Southern Arabic languages as distinct and percieved as such from Northern Arabic languages, a lasting opposition to what was IOTL Kaisits and Kalbids.

...and there's a possibility that their writing system will be used in languages like Somali and Swahili

ramones1986 · Dec 16, 2014

Bumping for more...