| Title | Animals in the Western Neo-Aramaic Proverbs of Maʿlūla |
|---|---|
| Contributor | Werner Arnold (author) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0464.31 |
| Landing page | https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0464/chapters/10.11647/obp.0464.31 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Werner Arnold; |
| Publisher | Open Book Publishers |
| Published on | 2025-03-07 |
| Long abstract | The article explores the presence and significance of animals in the Western Neo-Aramaic proverbs of Maʿlūla, drawing on a collection of 366 proverbs recorded by Žaržūra Ruzḳalla. Of these, 108 proverbs feature animals, including mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, and other creatures. The study categorises and analyses the symbolic meanings attributed to specific animals, such as the donkey representing stupidity, the lion symbolising generosity, and the snake embodying fear or danger. The proverbs often reflect local environmental and cultural contexts, incorporating both practical observations and moral lessons. The study also compares the representation of animals in Maʿlūla proverbs with their presence in Arabic and other linguistic traditions, highlighting the unique blend of regional identity and shared human experience. |
| Page range | pp. 923–930 |
| Print length | 8 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
| Landing Page | Full text URL | Platform | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0464/chapters/10.11647/obp.0464.31 | Landing page | https://books.openbookpublishers.com/10.11647/obp.0464.31.pdf | Full text URL |
Werner Arnold (PhD University of Erlangen Nürnberg) has been Professor Emeritus of Semitic Studies at Heidelberg University since 2019. He was also the Rector of Jewish Studies at the Heidelberg University from 2020 to 2024. His publications are based on extensive field research on the Arabic dialects in the Levant and on Western Neo-Aramaic. His six-volume work on the dialects of Western Neo-Aramaic is his most important publication. He is co-editor of the Journal of Arabic Linguistics and of Mediterranean Language Review.