The phenomenon of homonymy appeared at the conceptual beginnings of Arabic grammar. In the chapter devoted to the relationship between form and lexical meaning in the kitâb by Sîbawayhi we read that it is possible to find in the spoken language of the Arabs "two concordant forms although the meanings differ.

The notion of good usage, imbued today with elitist connotations, is often perceived as a collection of normative prescriptions which correspond to a certain sociocultural model.