Analysis of Meaning Formation in "Lāmiyyat al-‘Ajam" by Ṭughrā’ī Based on Jakobson's Theory of Metaphoric and Metonymic Poles

Document Type : research article

Authors

Zahra Haghayeghi ¹

Marzieh Abad ²

¹ PhD in Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Letters & Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

² Associate Professor in Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Letters & Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/jallv16.i4.2410-1469

Abstract

Structuralism is an approach in literary criticism that emphasizes the role of language in shaping literary works through the study of linguistic structures and their function in meaning production. Based on a structuralist perspective and Roman Jakobson’s theory of literariness—particularly the metaphoric and metonymic poles—this study conducts a detailed linguistic analysis of the well-known ode Lāmiyyat al-‘Ajam by Ṭughrā’ī. Adopting a descriptive–analytical method and employing statistical charts, the research examines the poem at three levels: linguistic, literary, and intellectual. The primary objective is to explore the relationship between linguistic and literary elements in the formation of meaning within the text. Given the significance and prominence of Ṭughrā’ī’s ode, a comprehensive analysis of its structure, poetic form, and semantic network appears necessary. The findings indicate that the meter and poetic rhythm are consistent with the poem’s conceptual and thematic content. Alliteration and assonance occur infrequently but remain noticeable, often appearing in the form of partial phonetic repetition. Moreover, defamiliarization and grammatical deviation play a key role in foregrounding the poetic language of Lāmiyyat al-‘Ajam, with metaphor emerging as the most frequent rhetorical device, reflecting the poet’s imaginative faculty and mental imagery. Overall, the linguistic and literary structure of the poem functions in the service of the poet’s thought and emotional expression.

Keywords

Literary Structuralism

Semantics

Roman Jakobson

Ṭughrā’ī

Lāmiyyat al-‘Ajam

Subjects

• Linguistics

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