The Semitic languages are a family of languages spoken by more that 370 million people across much of the Middle East and North and East Africa. This is the first general survey of those languages, including the Arab and Aramaic dialects and various languages of Ethiopia.

Containing twenty-two chapters that present a comprehensive survey of this language family from its origins in antiquity to the present day, The Semitic Languages is an essential source of reference for the specialist and the lay reader.