Visual recognition of Phrases in the text of Qur'aan
Lesson-4
The text of languages is typically divided into three categories:
1. Word---
We have acquired the skill to identify it.2. Phrase
3. Sentence
Phrase
It is a string of words that form a constituent and so function as a single unit in the syntax of a sentence. A phrase is lower on the grammatical hierarchy than a clause. These are compounds, in Arabic الْمُرَكَّبَاتُ. When two or more words are adjoined or joined they constitute what is termed "Phrase" in English and in Arabic it is referred as مركب ناقص-a combination of two or more words from which no complete information, order or desire is understood. It is an incomplete statement. However a combination of two words may also constitute مركب تام a complete Sentence-جُمْلَةٌ.
The first Ayah of Grand Qur'aan teaches us the following three types of Phrases:
1) Prepositional Phrase;
2) Possessive Phrase;
3) Adjectival Phrase.
Prepositional Phrase
Just to emphasize the importance of Prepositional Phrases because of its frequent use in the text of Qur'aan, I request that We should read them repeating little loudly:
جار و مجرور
بـِ حرف جر + اِسم مَجرُور
بـِ Inseparable Preposition + Noun-Genitive [Object noun of Preposition بـِ ]
Second type of prepositions are
Separable Prepositions likeRelying on "Universal grammar" theory-the ability to learn grammar is hard-wired into the brain, I may suggest that it would suffice if we refresh memory about the concept and use of "prepositional phrase" in our native language. Prepositional phrases have a preposition as the central element of the phrase. In contrast to other types of phrases, this cannot be described as a head, since the preposition cannot stand on its own. Prepositions, also called Genitive Particles in Arabic حُرُوفُ الْجَرِّ [Particles of attraction], are a means by which an attribution is made from one word to another; to connect a verb, a word resembling a verb or in the meaning of a verb to a noun which is adjacent to it.
These five separable prepositions govern both apparent and concealed-hidden nouns in the text. These particles do not become subjects, objects, or any such thing, therefore, they do not experience grammatical roles. Thereby, there is no need for them to decline and are thus indeclinable- مبني like English prepositions.Lesson-5 Possessive Phrase
We are familiar with the Possessives in English like "my, their, etc" and possessive clitic "-'s". "In English, possessive words or phrases exist for nouns and most pronouns, as well as some noun phrases. These can play the roles of determiners (also called possessive adjectives when corresponding to a pronoun) or of nouns...Possessives are one of the means by which genitive constructions are formed in modern English.."***
In Arabic, such relationship is denoted by the term أَلإضَافَةُ. It primarily represents the association of one Noun with another Noun.
أَلإضَافَةُ ٱلْحَقِيقِيَّةُ
[literally: annexation, addition, or attachment] Possessive Phrase-"the Construct"-[two nouns, one "belonging/having association" to the other]
It is very easy to
visually recognize a Possessive Phrase in the text of Qur'aan
if we retain in memory
that the Nouns in Arabic in default state are in NOMINATIVE case
that is they have
ُُ or ـُـُ,
.
vowel sign at the end of word. In case a noun has this sign
[ـِ
.. -ٍ ]
at the end we must find the reason. One
reason we already know is that the object noun of a Preposition will always
be in genitive case. The first prepositional phrase is
.
If preposition
بـِ is
truncated we are left with Noun
. However,
Arabs do not initiate speech with a vowel-less consonant. Therefore, if
this noun is written separately-default state it is spelled
.
The Second word in the Text is
This is Proper Noun-the Name and as we know Proper Names are never
translated but are spelled in target languages in such manner that they
produce identical sound as of original. Therefore, please remember that
on acquiring the skill to start attempting translating the text you will
not translate it but transcribe it as Allah the Exalted. This Proper
Noun has genitive
[ـِ]
ending which compels us to determine why is it so because its
default case is always
nominative indicated by vowel sign
ُُ
.
Prepositional Phrase + Possessive Phrase
If preposition بـِ is truncated we are left with this pair of words-Phrase:
[مُضَاف و
مُضَاف إلَيْه]
*
The noun that is
possessed comes first and is called
مُضَاف
**
The noun that is the possessor comes second/after and is called
مُضَاف إلَيْه
Please watch the peculiarity of First Noun
--
of
this construction. It does not have two features
peculiar to a noun; neither it has in its beginning the definite
Article
nor
[-ٍ--]
at the end. Our eyes have however
recognized it as noun because of prefixed preposition
بـِ
and genitive case
[ـِ]
at the end. Please watch
the Second Noun of the Phrase called
مُضَاف إلَيْهand
note its case ending
[ـِ].
Please try to memorize it by repeating the visually noted facts a couple of times so that the brain registers them in the non declarative memory.
***
The
first Noun of a Possessive Phrase neither has
in the beginning nor has
ــًــٍــٌ
tanwīn
at the end.
**** The Second Noun of a Possessive Phrase is always in Genitive Case [ـِ].
I place before you in isolation two words and request you to tell as to what they are without consulting a dictionary:
If you effortlessly tell me that both
words are nouns and they constitute a Possessive Phrase, it will
indicate that you have completely grasped and attained the skill to
visually recognize words and a possessive phrase. Here before our eyes
the word
is neither preceded by a preposition, nor
has
in the beginning or
[-ٍ--]
at the end. Despite absence of these
signs we have adjudged it as noun only because it has genitive case
[ـِ]
which is yet another unique peculiarity of a noun.
Similarly we have determined the second element as noun because
has
in the beginning.
But my further question is why have you adjudged this isolated text comprising only of two words as a Possessive Phrase?
We have recognized and adjudged it as
Possessive Phrase firstly because every word in Arabic needs to be
linked with other elements of the text. We know that a noun in the text
comprising of more than one word should also be in the default case
ُُ or ـُـُ,
.
Finding the second noun
in genitive case
[ـِ]
we immediately adjudged that it is because of its link
with the preceding noun.
And we found the preceding noun without
in the beginning and without
[-ٍ--]
at the end.
Therefore, we adjudged it as Possessive Phrase recalling;
***
The
first Noun of a Possessive Phrase neither has
in the beginning nor has ــًــٍــٌ
tanwīn
at the end.
**** The Second Noun of a Possessive Phrase is always in Genitive Case [ـِ] .
The Phrases
.....
and
have given us this point to memorize and
retain in memory:
***** The first noun, whatever its grammatical state ـَـِـُ may be which is determined by external factors like بـِ preposition, it will always render the second noun in the genitive case.
At this stage we need to memorize that
except Proper Nouns; Names of Persons and Places,
all nouns in Arabic are indefinite
in default state. One method of making nouns as definite is by prefixing
definite article
and removing ــًــٍــٌ
tanwīn at the end of noun
with single vowel.
Please notice another visibly common
element in these phrases
.....
and
.
The first Noun of phrase is
apparently
indefinite. Let us memorize:
******
The first Noun of a Possessive
Phrase is never apparently a Definite Noun; Proper Noun or a noun made
definite by using definite article
.
It will derive definiteness from the second Noun of Phrase if that is
Definite;
Proper Noun or definite with article
.
Hence we will effortlessly perceive that object noun of
and
are definite signifying that it carries a definite sense
in meanings. In case the second noun of phrase is indefinite, the first
noun will remain indefinite and it will convey meanings of
specification. Like compounded two phrases
study another such double compound with indefinite second noun
مُضَاف إلَيْه
in the Phrase
جار و مجرور Prepositional Phrase
حرف جر + اِسم مَجرُور
Separable Preposition +
Noun-Genitive [Object noun of the Preposition]
Prepositional Phrase + Possessive Phrase:
has becomeمُضَاف
and
is
مُضَاف إلَيْه
Recap:
For the time being we are interested only in acquiring the skill to recognize the elements of the text without consulting dictionary and knowing meanings etc. For the present, following information suffices for effortlessly determining the Possessive Phrases:
* The noun that is possessed comes first and is called مُضَاف
meaning "additive", "attached", "annexed", "appendix";** The noun that is the possessor comes second/after and is called مُضَاف إلَيْه
;
***
The
first Noun of a Possessive Phrase neither has
in the beginning nor has
ــًــٍــٌ
tanwīn
at the end.
**** The Second Noun of a Possessive Phrase is always in Genitive Case with vowel sign [ـِ] or with [-ٍ--] at the end.
***** The first noun, whatever its grammatical state ـَـِـُ may be which is determined by external factors like بـِ preposition, it will always render the second noun in the genitive case.
******
The first Noun of a Possessive
Phrase is never apparently a Definite Noun; Proper Noun or a noun made
definite by using definite article
.
It will derive definiteness from the second Noun of Phrase if that is
Definite;
Proper Noun or definite with article
.
If the Possessor Noun مُضَاف إلَيْه
is indefinite the first noun will retain its indefiniteness.