ETYMOLOGY OF WORDS AS INTRODUCTION TO ROOTING AND INVESTMENT OF LINGUISTIC HERITAGE. AN APPLIED STUDY ON THE INSTRUMENT NAMES USED IN TRADITIONAL CRAFTS IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
Etymology is the study of the origins of words, exploring how words reproduce and multiply by examining the roots of words, the sound and semantic changes that have occurred over time, attempting to reconstruct an identity card for the word that shows its origin and the path it has taken over time until it reached its current state. Despite the extreme importance of etymological studies in documenting linguistic heritage, clarifying its roots, and linking it to the standard language, etymological dictionaries are still scarce in the Arabic library in general. This research aims to shed light on the importance of etymological studies in rooting linguistic heritage, reproducing its links to the standard language, and investing it if possible by recycling it, through an applied experiment on a set of names of tools used in traditional calligraphy in the Sultanate of Oman. This etymological study aims to create a historical profile for each word by studying its etymology, and its origin from which it descended. It distinguishes between words with Arabic roots and borrowed words from other languages, if any. Then it studies the sound and semantic changes that these words have undergone until they reached their current form.
Keywords: Etymology, Linguistic Heritage, Traditional Crafts, Sultanate of Oman.