Tradition, theory, methodology:

As Arabists, we revere a distinguished linguistic tradition, we strive to present our findings in a terms of contemporary theoretical programs, and we seek to apply rigorous methodologies for collecting and analysing data. Yet all three of these pillars (tradition, theory, and methodology) can also be traps that disguise, distort, and divert. Here I summarize a few case studies that bear out this point, all involving Arabic linguistics. Topics covered are Maghrebi Arabic vowel systems, the theoretical analysis of Arabic ablaut morphology, and sociophonetic methodology.