Persian Attributive Suffix " Alef & Nūn" or Arabic Dual Sign? A critique of Nāj ī Maʿrūf's Article and an Investigation in Basra's Historical Proper Names

It is generally supposed that the connection between Persian and Arabic languages is limited to a number of arabicized words. However, some historical evidence indicates that this connection is far more deep-rotted than arabicized words. The Persian suffix namely (Alef & Nūn) is important evidence in connection with the effect and influence of Persian language on Arabic. One of the functions of the suffix (Alef & Nūn) is attributiveness. A point worth considering is the presence of this attributive suffix in some Basra’s historical and geographical proper names.Yāqūt ḥamaw ī was the first scholar who noticed this point in his book, Mu‛jam al Buldān. After centuries, the contemporary Iraqi historian, Nāj ī Ma´rūf noticed this issue. He attributed a mistake to Yāqūt’s view and considered the Persian contributive suffix as Arabic dual suffix. He never contented with Yāqūt’s view but he went beyond that and considered Persian plural suffix (Alef & Nūn) as Arabic dual suffix. He thought the Arabic dual suffix had entered in Persian language and finally got plural meaning. Historically and linguistically, Some objective evidence shows that the Nāj ī Ma‛rūf’s remark about both Yāqūt’s view and Persian plural suffix is incorrect.