Aristotle's __Rhetoric__ in the East: The Syriac and Arabic translation and commentary tradition

The two centuries following the rise of the Abbasid caliphate in 750 witnessed a wave of translations from Greek into Syriac and Arabic. The translation and reception of Aristotle's "Rhetoric" is a prime example for the resulting transformation of antique learning in the Islamic world and beyond. On the basis of a close textual analysis of the "Rhetoric", this study develops elements of a comparative "translation grammar" of Greek-Arabic translations. Contextualizing the analysis with an account of the textual history and the Syriac and Arabic philosophical tradition drawing on the "Rhetoric", it throws new light on the inner workings of the "translation movement" and its impact on Islamic culture.

The two centuries following the rise of the Abbasid caliphate in 750 witnessed a wave of translations from Greek into Syriac and Arabic. The translation and reception of Aristotle's Rhetoric is a prime example for the resulting transformation of antique learning in the Islamic world and beyond. On the basis of a close textual analysis of the Rhetoric, this study develops elements of a comparative “translation grammar” of Greek-Arabic translations. Contextualizing the analysis with an account of the textual history and the Syriac and Arabic philosophical tradition drawing on theRhetoric, it throws new light on the inner workings of the “translation movement” and its impact on Islamic culture.

Introduction "Greek into Arabic" Problems of translation history The history of Greek-Arabic translations Translation history The Arabic version Manuscript and dating The Syriac translation tradition Comparing Greek and Arabic Some qualifications Text comparison and analysis Findings Sources for structural mismatches The use of connectors and particles Morophology and terminology Transcription of proper names The terminology The reception of the Arabic translation The ninth century : arst encounters The tenth century : laying the foundation The eleventh century : elaboration and extension The twelfth century : the return to Aristotle Beyond the twelfth century The Latin afterlife Conclusions. "The translation and reception of Aristotle's Rhetoric, is a prime example for the resulting transformation of antique learning in the Islamic world and beyond. On the basis of a close textural analysis of the Rhetoric, this study develops elements of a comparative "translation grammar" of Greek-Arabic translations. Contextualizing the analysis with an account of the textual history and the Syriac and Arabic philosophical tradition drawing on the Rhetoric, it throws new light on the inner workings of the "translation movement" and its impact on Islamic culture."--Jacket Analyzing the Arabic translation of Aristotle's Rhetoric and situating it in its historical and intellectual context, this book offers a fresh interpretation of the early Greek-Arabic translation movement and its impact in Islamic culture and beyond.