Proverbs and Pseudo-proverbs in Arabic and Kurdish: A Comparative Analysis of Meidani’s Majma' Al-Amthal Al-Arabi and Mullah Ghafour Dabbaghi’s Pandi Peshiniyan

Proverbs or sayings are among the oldest known literary genres passed down to us from our ancestors, without any interference or changes. The treasure trove of proverbs in Arabic and Kurdish is full of moral and epistemological principles and reflects the customs of these two nations and the cultural and scientific richness of the proverbs in these two languages. This influence is clearly visible between the two nations, the Arabs and the Kurds, in various fields, especially in the field of oral literature (proverbs and sayings). Abolfazl Meidani, a famous writer, lexicographer, and grammarian of the fifth century and the beginning of the sixth century A.H., is the author of the book Majma' Al-Amthal Al-Arabi. Mulla Ghfour Dabbaghi, a contemporary Kurdish writer, is the author of the famous Kurdish book Pandi Peshiniyan. Comparing these two books, this study seeks to express the similarities and differences between the Arabic and Kurdish proverbs. The present study adopted an analytical-descriptive method and compared some Arabic and Kurdish proverbs in terms of content. The results of the study indicated that due to the cultural similarities, common experiences, geographical proximity, and lifestyles of these two nations the proverbs have very close themes; these proverbs. This demonstrates the influence of the Arabic language and literature on the Kurdish language and literature.