Rabat – The Afrique Orient stand at the 2026 International Publishing and Book Fair (SIEL) hosted on Friday at 3 p.m. the signing of “Essential Elements of General Linguistics,” a collective academic work authored by Mohammed Larouz, Driss Cherkaoui, Mohammed El Messaoudi, and Nor-eddine Azalmad.
The volume brings together four scholars from linguistics and humanities departments, each contributing a distinct analytical perspective on the structure and functioning of language. The work targets undergraduate students and also addresses researchers in language theory, communication studies, and applied linguistics.
A collaborative academic project across institutions and perspectives
On the sidelines of the signing, Mohammed Larouz, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at Moulay Ismail University of Meknes and professor of applied linguistics, described the book as a product of shared academic work rather than a single-author framework.
“It introduces general linguistics in a very smooth way,” he told Morocco World News (MWN). “It is designed for undergraduate students and for anyone interested in language and communication.”
He added that the book’s structure reflects a deliberate collaboration among scholars who approach linguistics from different angles. “Each author reads the field from a different perspective,” he added. “That is what gives the book its collaborative nature.”
Larouz also underlined that the publication aims to go beyond classroom use. “Researchers who engage with the foundations of language will also find it useful,” he said.
Linguistics as a structured system of inquiry
Driss El Messaoudi, professor at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Moulay Ismail University in Meknes, described the book as the outcome of four years of joint academic work. He presented it as an entry point into linguistic science, particularly for readers approaching the field for the first time.
“The book serves as a window onto linguistic science,” he told MWN. “It also invites readers to explore the depth and richness of language and its manifestations.”
According to El Messaoudi, the book is structured around four foundational domains of linguistics: phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics and pragmatics. Each section addresses a specific layer of language analysis, from sound production to meaning construction.
He explained that phonetics and phonology examine speech sounds, their articulation, and their organization into systems that produce meaning. Morphology focuses on word formation, derivation, and conjugation, which enable the construction of meaningful linguistic units.
Syntax, he said, concerns the structural rules that govern sentence formation. Semantics and pragmatics then extend the analysis to meaning, both at the lexical level and within context.
Meaning, context, and linguistic interpretation
A central analytical distinction in the book lies in the separation between meaning and signification, a distinction El Messaoudi emphasized during the discussion.
“Meaning relates to the abstract conceptual content of a word,” he said, “while signification connects language to reality, context, and linguistic signs.”
He added that semantics and pragmatics examine how meaning shifts depending on usage. In this view, interpretation does not remain fixed within dictionaries but evolves through context, intention, and communicative practice.
The authors present this approach as essential for understanding how language functions in real communication, rather than as a static system of definitions.
Filling a gap in linguistic teaching and research
The book also positions itself as a pedagogical tool intended to address gaps in the teaching of general linguistics. The authors argue that linguistic study often remains fragmented, with limited integration between foundational concepts and applied analysis.
The work instead focuses on what the authors describe as the “how” and “why” of linguistic phenomena, moving beyond descriptive summaries of terminology.
El Messaoudi noted that the publication also addresses broader academic needs in translation studies, language teaching, and textual analysis, particularly in the legal, religious, and cultural domains.
Call for stronger engagement in linguistic research
At the conclusion of the discussion, El Messaoudi called for deeper academic engagement in linguistics, given its relevance to understanding both differences and shared structures across languages.
He expressed hope that the book would serve both Moroccan students and international readers seeking a structured introduction to the field.
The signing at SIEL 2026 reflects a broader presence of academic publishing at the fair, where universities and researchers continue to present collaborative works aimed at bridging theoretical research and educational practice.
