Arabic words in Spanish

Los arabismos del español

711–1500. Eight centuries of Muslim rule in al-Andalus left Spanish with the largest group of borrowed words after Latin itself.

What happened

Eight centuries of Muslim rule in al-Andalus left Spanish with the largest group of borrowed words after Latin itself. How many is disputed: Rafael Lapesa and those who follow him speak of some 4,000 Arabic words, while others count about 2,000, because the larger figures include words derived inside Spanish (an arabism plus a Spanish ending). Most came in during the early Middle Ages, through farming and irrigation (acequia, noria, azúcar, zanahoria, aceite), trade (almacén, aduana), town life (alcalde, barrio, albañil, alcoba) and the home (almohada, alfombra). Many begin with al-, the Arabic article, though not every al- word is Arabic. Even grammar words came across: hasta and the interjection ojalá, from an Arabic phrase meaning 'may God will it'. Place names such as Alcalá and Guadalquivir are Arabic too.

Connected

• The Muslim conquest (711)
• The Muslim conquest (711)
• The Caliphate of Córdoba (16 January 929)
• Alfonso VI takes Toledo (25 May 1085)
• Alfonso the Wise and the Castilian language (1252–1284)
• Alfonso the Wise and the Castilian language (1252–1284)
• The fall of Granada (2 January 1492)

Sources

1. Contacto de lenguas e historia: el caso de los arabismos en español (J. M. García Martín, AISPI) — Centro Virtual Cervantes
2. Biblioteca fraseológica y paremiológica: En torno al léxico (2 de 15), Jesús Cantera — Centro Virtual Cervantes
3. Los arabismos en la composición del patrimonio léxico del español (Instituto Cervantes São Paulo, 2009) — Centro Virtual Cervantes