The Epistemology of Language Origins and Its Implications for Classical and Modern Linguistic Studies An Analysis of Ibn Jinni’s Thought

Abstract

This study examines the epistemology of language origin (wadh‘ al-lughah), aiming to analyze the debate between language as divine endowment (tawqīfī) and as human convention (iṣṭilāḥī), while also exploring Ibn Jinni’s epistemological position and its relevance to modern linguistics. The research employs a qualitative library-based approach using descriptive-analytical and comparative methods across classical texts and modern linguistic literature. The findings reveal three main typologies of language origin theories: divine, conventional, and naturalistic (hikāyat al-aṣwāt). Ibn Jinni adopts an integrative stance that combines divine elements with human agency, offering a balanced perspective. Language is shown to emerge through social interaction, negotiation of meaning, and collective legitimation. The study also identifies parallels between classical debates and modern linguistic theories such as arbitrariness, pragmatics, and social construction of language. In conclusion, the epistemology of language is a multidimensional phenomenon that cannot be explained by a single framework. An integrative approach provides significant contributions in bridging classical and modern traditions and offers new directions for comprehensive linguistic inquiry.