The eighth century scholar Sibawayhi was the first grammarian of Arabic. Carter discusses his origins and background, his relationship with his teachers, the intellectual context of his grammatical ideas, and how his general concept of language shaped his approach to Arabic. Sibawayhi's monumental work--known simply as ""the Book""--embodies a universality that is still being uncovered. So thorough is the work that it remains to this day the great authority on classical Arabic.This biography provides a superb introduction to the subject of Arabic linguistics and to the life and times of its founder.