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oa Translating the nation in nineteenth-century Arabic
A diachronic corpus study
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- 02 Apr 2025
- 27 May 2025
- 04 Jul 2025
Abstract
Abstract
This study examines the linguistic mechanisms through which the concept of “nation” was transferred into Arabic in the nineteenth century via translation from French. Initially untranslatable, the term was rendered using religiously charged words such as milla and ṭā’ifa, reflecting the sociopolitical framework of the time, where identity was primarily defined by religious affiliation rather than territorial or political structures. Through diachronic corpus analysis, this research traces how Arabic translators, influenced by the Napoleonic Expedition and the works of Rifā’a Al-Ṭahṭāwī, gradually adapted the concept into the secular geopolitical term umma. A key component of this study is the corpus analysis of umma, examining its frequency and collocations in nineteenth-century Arabic texts, including intellectual writings and newspapers. Findings reveal that while umma initially coexisted with religious terms, it increasingly collocated with geopolitical and nationalist adjectives, reflecting its semantic shift. Moreover, as umma became central in nationalist discourse, it also played a key role in feminist writings, particularly in the works of Qāsim Amīn, where the elevation of the nation was closely tied to women’s education and empowerment. This study highlights how translation and linguistic contact shaped Arabic political discourse, national identity, and early feminist thought.