About Lebanon

 LEBANON

 

 

 

 

 Table of contents:

1. History

2. Lebanese Arabic  

3. Phonology, dialect origins

4. Calendar, and Etymology

5. Conclusion

 

Disclaimer:

All content shared is intended for educational purposes to foster an understanding of our collective history and heritage. It is crucial to emphasize a stance against any form of harm, malicious intent, or hate towards others, as well as refraining from condemning others' causes. The primary objective is to educate on various subjects including History, Events, Phonology, Etymology, Ethnic/People groups, Heritage, Language, Identity, Culture, Value, and Ideologies, encompassing diverse perspectives that may be viewed differently. Given the potentially controversial nature of these topics, some information provided may lack complete accuracy.

Please be mindful that this account is dedicated to shedding light on neglected or overlooked subjects. Kindly review our captions before engaging in comments, and anticipate similar considerations for forthcoming posts.

Minor Notice: The current version is derived from @AdeysReport's Simplified Post on Instagram, however it is similar but slightly more detailed.

In Arabic: About Lebanon: (AR)

 

 

 

1. History 

Situated at the meeting point of the Mediterranean and the Middle East (West Asia)

Lebanon's history is a rich tapestry woven with threads of ancient civilizations, colonial powers, religious diversity, political turmoil, and cultural complexities. These civilizations have also indelibly shaped Lebanon's culture, architecture, ethnicity, language, and religious heritage.

 

Ancient Roots: The region that is now Lebanon has been inhabited for thousands of years, with evidence of human settlement dating back to the Paleolithic period. Throughout history, Lebanon has been inhabited by various civilizations, including the Phoenicians (Can‘an), Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. the Phoenicians were renowned traders and sailors who established prosperous city-states like Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos. Credited with developing the Phoenician alphabet (derived from Egyptian hieroglyphics), which later influenced writing systems such as Greek and Latin. The Phoenicians' influence extended beyond Lebanon's borders as they set up trade colonies across the Mediterranean, contributing to the dissemination of their culture and commerce. In more recent times, it was part of the Ottoman Empire until the end of World War I when it came under French mandate.

 

 

Ottoman Rule: Lebanon came under Ottoman rule in the 16th century and remained so until the end of World War I. During this period, Lebanon was part of the Ottoman Empire's Syrian province and experienced a mix of stability and unrest.

 

French Mandate: After World War I, Lebanon and Syria came under French mandate as part of the Sykes-Picot Agreement. Lebanon was established as a separate entity, largely due to the efforts of Lebanese intellectuals and leaders who sought independence from both Ottoman and French rule.

 

Independence: Lebanon gained independence from France in 1943, and the Lebanese Republic was established. However, the country's political landscape was deeply divided along religious lines, particularly between the Maronite Christians, Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, and Druze.

 

Civil War: Lebanon plunged into a devastating civil war in 1975, fueled by political, religious, and ethnic tensions. The war lasted for 15 years and left deep scars on the country, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and displacements.

 

Taif Agreement and Post-war Reconstruction: The civil war ended in 1990 with the signing of the Taif Agreement, which aimed to distribute power among Lebanon's various religious sects more equitably. The agreement also called for the disarmament of militias and the reconstruction of the country.

Political Complexity: Lebanon's political system is based on confessionalism, which allocates political power among the country's religious communities. This has led to a delicate balance of power and frequent political deadlock.

 

Recent History: In recent years, Lebanon has faced numerous challenges, including political instability, economic crises, and regional conflicts. The country has also been affected by the Syrian civil war and the influx of refugees.

 

Ethnic Groups and Diversity:

Lebanon is known for its religious and cultural diversity, with communities to the major religious communities Maronite Christians, Sunni and Shia Muslims, Druze, and others coexisting within its borders. Additionally, Lebanon has a significant population of Palestinian refugees and more recently, Syrian refugees and other groups.

In addition, Lebanon is also home to smaller ethnic groups such as Levantine groups, Arabs, Armenians, Assyrians, Yezidis, Turks, Kurds, and other indigenous ethnic and religious minorities. Each group has its own cultural identity and historical experience, contributing to Lebanon's rich tapestry of diversity.

 

Future Outlook: The future of Lebanon remains uncertain, with ongoing political tensions, economic challenges, and regional instability shaping its trajectory. Efforts towards national reconciliation, economic reform, and social cohesion will be crucial for Lebanon's stability and prosperity.

 

 

2. Lebanese Arabic

Lebanese Arabic, a variant of North/Levantine (شامي, Šhāmi) Arabic spoken in Lebanon, is distinguished by its unique phonological features and lexicon. Unlike many other Arabic dialects, Lebanese Arabic retains traces of ancient Phoenician and Aramaic influences, particularly evident in the pronunciation of specific consonants and vowels. Moreover, the language incorporates a significant number of loanwords from French, English, and various other languages, underscoring Lebanon's rich cultural tapestry and historical ties. This rich linguistic amalgamation not only characterizes Lebanese Arabic as vibrant and dynamic but also underscores its role as a distinctive emblem of Lebanese heritage and identity.

 

The lexicon of Lebanese Arabic encompasses a wide array of loanwords from diverse sources, including Classical Arabic, Syriac-Aramaic, Western-Aramaic, Persian, Phoenician, Ottoman Turkish,  French, and to a lesser extent, English. To illustrate, a comparison between Standard Arabic (Literary Arabic) and Spoken Lebanese Arabic reveals notable distinctions in vocabulary:

Literary Arabic: Coffee (قهوة) Qahwa, Yogurt (لبنة) Labna, Book Kitab (كتاب), Gold (ذهب) Ðhahab

Lebanese Arabic: Coffee (ʔahwé), Yogurt (Labné), Book (Ktéb), Gold (Dhab)

 

In Lebanese Arabic, the voiceless uvular plosive /q/ is commonly substituted with a glottal stop [ʔ], and the final vowel ([æ~a~ɐ]), usually denoted by tāʾ marbūtah (ة), transforms into [e]. This phonetic shift is a prevalent feature shared with Syrian Arabic, Palestinian Arabic, Egyptian Arabic, and Maltese.

 

However, an exception to this phonetic shift can be observed in the Jabal ash-Shouf region and Wadi al-Taym, where the pronunciation of /q/ remains intact, unlike neighboring areas where /ʔ/ is used instead. For example, the word for "heart" (/qalb/ in Literary Arabic) becomes [ʔaleb] or [ʔalb] in these regions. The retention of /q/ and/or /q/ by the Druze community is particularly noticeable in mountainous locales compared to urban environments.

 

Lebanese & Levantine Arabic are that these also have Syriac phonology aspects where the first letter/vowels are removed; 

thalaatha (θ/ث) > Tlete (ت), 

ḏhahab (ð/ذ) > Dahab (د).

- • Aramaic Borrowing;

Mayy  (Mayya, Maye ܡܝܐ)

Eed  (Eida, Etho ܐܝܕܐ، ܐܝܬܐ).

 

It's also worth noting that even Lebanese Arabic has different dialects from region to region, as do the rest of the Arabic dialects in their respective countries, which I will also be making posts about.

 

3. Phonology, dialect origins

 

Phonetics, ">" as the replaced into another letter/vowels instead.

Notice: I won't be mentioning the French, Arabic loan-borrowing as they're far more known and preserved. 

Arabic	Latinized	Syriac	Latinized
الخارج	alkharij	براني	brani
كذب	kidhb	فشر	fashar
غوغاء الناس	ghwgha' alnaas	سفله	suflah
اصل الشجر	asal alshajar	قرمه	qaramah
الداخل	aldaakhil	جواني	jawani
رتب	rutib	صفف	saff
احرق	aihriq	کوی	kwy
عجن	qabid	دعك	diaek
ذكر	dhukir	کمش	kmsh
قبض	qabid	ديق	dybq
لصق	lasq	شقف	shqf
هشم	Hashm	واوا	wawa
وجع	wjae	نهش	nhsh
عض	ead	زفر	zafr
قذر	qadthir	فار	far
احتد	ahtid	طرش	tarish
لطخ	Ltkh	اتغندر	atghandir
تمايل في مشيته	tamayl fi mishyatih	الداليه	aldalyh
وعاء	wiea'an	طاسه	tasih
كرمة العنب	kmt alaenab	الداليه	aldalyih
حسن	hasn	منيح	mnih
ضرب	dthrb	شبط	shbt
مخلوط	makhlot	محبوكة	mahbwkih
حاذق	hthiaq	حريف	harief
ممزق	muazaq	منتوش	mantush
نزع ذيابه	nizae dthyabih	شلح	shlah
فرج بين قدميه	farj bayn qadmyh	فشخ	fashikh
صوت	swut	بربر	barbir

Loan words from various languages; Banadura (Pomodoro*) of Italian loans.  

Western Aramaic: Hinne (هن) , Hinnen (هنن), ܢܬܰܫ, نتش , Natash: "He took a bite of the apple"(هو نتش التفاحة). 

Ottoman Turkish: Dekken (Dükkan*), Buza (Buz*), Doghri (Doğrı*), Azan (Kazan*), Basha (Paşa*), Efendi, Shanta (Çanta*), Bosh (Boş*), Drabzin (Trabzan*), Shawerma (Çevirme*), Kebab (Kebap*), Shish (Şiş*), Sofra. 

It's worth to note that not all of these loans are exactly of Turkish origins, some of these are of (Arabic, Persian, Syriac, Aramaic, and Akkadian and so on) that made its' way through Ottoman Turkish. 

The Levantine Arabic (e.g Lebanese, Syrian Arabic) uses the Turkish variant of those loans.

 

 

4. Calendar, and Etymology

The months of the Gregorian calendar in the Levant and Iraq follow the Syriac/Assyrian calendar.

 

In Egypt, Sudan, and Eastern Arabia, the Gregorian months are named based on the Old Latin calendar.

 

 Etymology

5. Conclusion

We are seeking for;

• Heritage:

a clear understanding on our Heritage, origins, names, and influences.

• Preservation:

To preserve our distinctive tradition, history, culture, architecture, and linguistic influences, including the Levantine; Lebanese Arabic dialect, and their origins.

• Education:

To have some basic knowledge and recognition about Lebanon and Lebanese diversity (Ethnic, Historical, Cultural influences etc).

 

• Lebanese Nationalism:

 A National Identity aims to unify all Ethnic and Religious groups under the Lebanese Nationality.

 

- This approach promotes national interests, upholds the people's values, and prioritizes Lebanon's sovereignty. By focusing on its own development and preserving its unique identity, Lebanon can thrive without being overshadowed by neighboring influences. A unifying national identity for all ethnic and religious groups would further strengthen this vision.

 

 

 

 

 

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