Die Arabismen im Katalanischen

Abstract

In this article I present the first results of a research of 100 ‘safe’ indirect Arabic words in Catalan. These arabisms were chosen according to six criteria, the most important of which are: the inclusion of all the sure and direct arabisms of the fundamental vocabulary (Llobera and Ramon 1982; I found twelve therein); the 100 arabisms investigated had to be in common usage; as this is very difficult to find out, I have chosen only words that are registered in Pompeu Fabra's General Dictionary of the Catalan Language (DGLC). After pointing out some important differentiations such as ‘safe’ vs. insecure arabisms and hinting on ‘non-arabisms’, I present statistical data and the results of onomasiological research (according to the Hallig / Von Wartburg 1963 system). At the end I provide examples of Valencian and Balearic arabisms.