مفهوم كلمة "أدب" وتطوره بين العربية والإنـجليزية والملايوية

(The Concept and Etymology of the Word "Literature" in English, Arabic and Malay Language)

الملخص

Abstract

This study aims to discuss the concept of literature in three languages: Arabic, English and Malay. It tries to indigenize and compare the concept in the three languages. It discusses the linguistic meaning of the term and its derivatives as well as other terms that are associated with it. This is in addition to the types, the general factors that influence the development of its meaning until it became commonplace and fixed in the languages. Some of the events that took place that contributed to the development of certain terms through categorizing the different eras until the modern one. The study is concluded by comparing the meaning of the term in three languages regarding its linguistic and formal definitions.

Key words: Literature, similarity, difference, term, language, meanings, modern era.