ABSTRACT
The tex ts which fo llo w are d iv id ed in to two groups: Najd i (Arabian) and Mesopotamian, although there i s some d i f f i cu lty in assign ing some o f the more marginal typ es , such as Text 8, Shammar Mas'ud, to any o f the groups. The d iv is io n is th e re fo re designed mainly fo r the guidance o f the reader and does not con stitu te a c la s s i f ic a t io n system. The ar rangement o f the tex ts i s g en e ra lly in order o f the degree o f re la t io n sh ip to the speech o f inner Najd and th ere fo re proceeds in a genera l n orth er ly and ea s te r ly d ir e c t io n .
