The Dictionary of Sexual Terms in Arabic: Introducing Classical Vocabulary to the Modern Generation

Abstract

Research on Arabic lexicography has been widely conducted. Some researchers argue that compiling dictionaries containing classic vocabularies is still a necessity because there has been the demand to help people who convert to Islam understand the meaning of scripture correctly as their language is different from the language of the Quran that contains many words and expressions that are difficult to comprehend even for the Arabs themselves.  On the other hand, some argue that the classical dictionaries containing old vocabulary are no longer necessary since their majority of words are no longer used. This study aims to see the truth in regards to these debates. The corpus to be discussed in this study is a dictionary containing sexual terms in Arabic. From the results of research, it is found that one side of the dictionary contains a lot of classical vocabulary that is difficult to understand and not needed in the present as it contains a special meaning in one particular field. On the other hand, that does not mean this dictionary is not important. In addition to enriching the Arabic lexicography, it is also useful for researches of the Arabic language, literature and culture.