I have been told that the word "Arabic" should pertain only to the language or literature (e.g., "He spoke Arabic") while "Arab" should pertain to a person or country (e.g., "Egypt is an Arab country"). In common usage, however, it appears these words are often used interchangeably (e.g., "an Arabic woman"). Are there some usage rules about these two words or is it merely a matter of personal preference?
I'd think Arab would be the noun for the person and Arabic would be the adjective. Arabic would also be the noun for the language.
I lost a bet when I said Egyptians were Arabs. The Arabs arrived in Egypt in 730 AD, and before that they had been a mixture of Persians, Greeks, Romans and various other groups -- as explained to me by an Egyptian. Egypt is an Arab-speaking country.
Arabic can also be an adjective referred to the language.
We might need to get Grant and Martha to make a ruling on this.
What about "arabica" or "Arabica"? It is applied to coffee beans/plants and several other things.
Emmett
And then you've got "gum arabic" and "Arabian horses".