İtkan Akademik Araştırmalar Dergisi

Öz

Literature serves as a mirror reflecting the soul and culture of every nation. The concept of literature (or adab in Arabic), rooted in the Arabic language, offers value judgments about the society from which it originates. Each nation preserves its cultural identity through its literary traditions. However, the place of Arabic literature within world literatures is unique. Arabs, especially the pre-Islamic Arabs, are internationally renowned for their literature. In this context, research on the historical development of Arabic literature has been undertaken by both Orientalists and Arab literary experts. These Orientalists, motivated by religious, political, and academic considerations, traveled to the Middle East to examine the Arabic language, religion, literature, and cultural traditions, subsequently formulating critical assessments of the Eastern world. Among these scholars, Carlo Alfonso Nallino holds a notable position. Theis study, titled “The Concept of Literature According to Carlo Alfonso Nallino in the Arabic Language”, extensively explores Nallino’s interpretation of the literary concept. Nallino asserted that the definition of literature has evolved over time, demonstrating historical transformations through examples of poetry and prose. Key findings reveil that the concept of literature has experienced semantic shifts across different periods. Furthermore, Nallino drew an analogy between the Arabic language and living organisms, suggesting that it is susceptible to both deterioration and renewal. He identified adab as the term undergoing the most significant transformation, attributing this evolution to fluctuations in political and social structures, as well as advancements or declines in artistic and scientific domains. Nallino further suggests that Ādāb may be the plural of two root words—deʾb and adab—both implying notions of custom and continuity. This study, employing an analytical methodology, presents comprehensive information regarding Nallino’s biography and the Italian school of Orientalism. Drawing from his work Tārīḫu'l-Ādābi'l-ʿArabiyya, the research examines the perspectives of Arabic literary scholars on adab, Nallino’s semantic approach to the term, and his overall perception of its meaning, offering these insights for scholarly discourse within the academic community.