Arabic lexicon in Castilian script

We have little information about the life of the author of these two works, although a few details can be gleaned from the texts. His name was Pedro de Alcala but where he came from remains unknown – there are many place names in Spain with Alcala (Alcala de Henares, Alcala la Real, Alcala de Guadaira, etc). However, given his command of Arabic and his comments about not being able to study the language, it is likely he came from Andalusia. He may have been a newly converted Christian. He was probably born around 1455 because when this work was written in 1501, he must have been between 46 and 47 years old[1]. We also know that he was a Monk of the Order of St Jerome and Confessor to the Archbishop of Grenada, brother of Fernando de Talavera, who was himself Confessor to Queen Isabella of Spain[2].

His work represents the first Castilian-Arabic lexicon ever published. It has been heralded as a work of great importance ever since it was first published. In 1883, it was reprinted in Göttingen by Paul de Lagarde. It was also used by Dozy for his Supplément aux dictionnaires arabes. It is one of the most authoritative sources of Andalusian Arabic at the end of the Nasrid era (1230-1492). It reflects the strong ties that have existed between Chrisitans and Muslims ever since the end of the Reconquista.

The work should be set in context – in 1492 the Catholic kings conquered the last Islamic kingdom in the Iberian peninsula, that of the Nasrids of Grenada. A pact was initially signed guaranteeing Muslims freedom of worship and religious practice. However, a few years later a campaign to convert them to Christianity led to forced conversions and ultimately the expulsion of Muslims. Pedro de Alcala was opposed to this, believing in conversion driven by conviction. This was why he devised a method to help Muslims understand Castilian and Christian preachers to understand Arabic.

Both primer and lexicon (the Arte para ligeramente saber la lengua arauiga and the Vocabulista arauigo en letra castellana) were published together as the author intended, as complementary works[3]. The first contained a primer of vernacular Arabic and a Christianity handbook for Muslims, plus a few guidelines for Christian confessors. The second work was a Castilian-Arabic lexicon. The Arabic vocabulary in both works appeared in Roman script partly because of the problems involved in printing in Arabic. The same thing applied to the dictionary. As the author pointed out in his Prologue, it was meant for both communities:

"It is wise to learn from one's neighbours, from recent converts to the Catholic faith as well as from former Christians. We must become their preachers and their masters. Thus those who speak Spanish (or former Christians) may, thanks to my book, learn Arabic from Aljamia [Romance], but Arabs (or 'new Christians') who can read Castilian script may also easily learn Aljamia [Romance] via Arabic"[4] 

[2] See E. Pezzi, 1989

[3]  "There is a reason why the Arte and the Vocabulista appear as two distinct publications - it is to allow people to take one and leave one for others to peruse. And if our Lord is to be praised in them works […] the small volume Arte should be printed at the same time as the 'Vocabulista', which I have translated into Arabic so that those who wish may consult it at will"  in E. Pezzi, 1989

[4] Voir E. Pezzi, 1989