Visual recognition of Phrases in the text of Qur'aan

Lesson-4

We have already acquired the skill to recognize and identify the Nouns and verbs just by smooth visual pursuit of the text of Grand Qur'aan with the help of Prepositions and few other visible signs. We not only acquired the skill to effortlessly identify the words that are nouns and verbs but also to identify the Prepositional Phrase.

1. Word---We have acquired the skill to identify it.

 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. 

Second type of prepositions are Separable Prepositions like  ----- [] - and we practiced some Prepositional Phrases with its separate object noun. The word "separable" indicated that these occur also as prefixed to a noun. The Noun in Arabic includes "Pronoun" which is one of eight parts of speech in English. Prepositions are prefixed with Pronouns whereby a single word constitutes a Prepositional Phrase. The first such Prepositional Phrase is with Preposition that occurs in 1:7 as . For convenience of readers, I have coloured the suffixed Pronoun for third person masculine plural. Similarly we will find Prepositional Phrase with suffixed with a Pronoun like , and with suffixed object Pronoun . We will, Allah so willing, study the Pronouns in sub classification of nouns.

Relying 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.

In Arabic, such relationship is denoted by the term أَلإضَافَةُ. It primarily represents the association of one Noun with another Noun.

   [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 meaning "additive", "attached", "annexed", "appendix";

**         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.

    Equivalent Appositive [البَدَلُ]