São Paulo – Next Friday (21), Federico Corriente Córdoba, a professor at the University of Zaragoza, in Spain, will give a lecture on the influence of Arabic on the Iberian culture at Instituto Cervantes in São Paulo. “Taboo Arabic terms in Portuguese and other Iberian novels – historic and current influence of Arabic language and the Islam in Iberian culture: Spain and Portugal” is the theme of the event, which will be free of charge and open to the general public. The event is organized by Instituto Cervantes, the Arabic course of the University of São Paulo (USP) and the Institute of Arab Culture (Icarabe).
A professor in Arabic language and literature at the USP and the director of Icarabe, Michel Sleiman explains that Córdoba has been in Brazil for three weeks now, to teach classes in the new course in Arab and Jewish Studies of the USP. “This lecture will sum up the course, in which he tackled the contact between Arab and Iberian cultures, words, expressions and even entire sentences that are part of the Iberian languages,” says Sleiman.
The Arabs occupied the Iberian Peninsula from 711 to 1492 and left their mark in the cuisine, architecture and culture. Iberian languages such as Portuguese and Spanish were also influenced during the seven years of domination.
The director of Instituto Cervantes in São Paulo, Pedro Benítez, stated that the institution “could not miss the opportunity” to host a lecture by Córdoba. “He is a very prominent and renowned researcher. He will address the Arabic terms that have been incorporated into Spanish language. At times, people complain about the influence of English language on other languages, but that happens with dominant cultures. The Arabs remained in the Iberian Peninsula for eight centuries and their influence [on the language] is vast,” says Benítez.
A specialist in Semitic languages, 70-year old Córdoba has conducted in-depth studies of Arabic literature and language. He has written grammar books and dictionaries and carried out studies on Arabic dialects worldwide. This is Córdoba’s second visit to Brasil. he first travelled to the country in 2005 to attend the relaunch of “Eastern Influences in Portuguese Language,” originally released in 1943, by Miguel Nimer, a Brazilian of Lebanese descent.
Service
Lecture “Arabic terms in Portuguese and other Iberian novels – historic and current influence of Arabic and the Islam in Iberian culture: Spain and Portugal”.
Friday (21) at 7:30 pm at Instituto Cervantes, Avenida Paulista, 2,439, Consolação
For further information call (+55 11) 3897-9600 or (+55 11) 5084-5131.
Admittance is free.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
