Here's a breakdown:
* Proto-Semitic: Arabic is a member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Proto-Semitic is the reconstructed ancestor of all Semitic languages, including Arabic, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Akkadian.
* Oldest attested forms: The earliest written records of Arabic date back to the 5th century CE, in the form of inscriptions found in the Najran region of southwestern Arabia. These inscriptions are considered to be in Old Arabic and are distinct from Classical Arabic.
* Classical Arabic: The language of the Quran, standardized during the 7th century CE by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Classical Arabic became the language of religious, literary, and scholarly discourse in the Islamic world.
* Modern Arabic: The colloquial dialects spoken in various regions of the Arab world. These dialects differ significantly from Classical Arabic but are all descended from it.
It's important to note that the development of Arabic was influenced by various factors, including:
* Trade and cultural exchange: The Arabian Peninsula was a crossroads for trade routes, leading to contact with other cultures and languages, which influenced the development of Arabic.
* The rise of Islam: The spread of Islam throughout the Middle East and beyond led to the standardization of Classical Arabic as the language of religion and scholarship.
* Geographical and historical factors: The different geographical regions and historical events in the Arab world have led to the development of various Arabic dialects.
Overall, the origins of Arabic can be traced back to the Arabian Peninsula and its long history of cultural exchange and linguistic evolution.