Journal of Arabic Language & Literature

Abstract This research offers an analytical reading of the ‘time return’ technique in Sinan Antwan’s novel, Al-Fehres, employing Gérard Genette's theory of narrative time. Time is posited as a foundational element of narrative, with the depiction of events typically forming a chronological chain. However, deviations from this linear progression, such as the temporal entanglement prevalent in Antovan's work, disrupt the narrative timeline and challenge conventional storytelling. Antwan is recognized among contemporary Arab novelists for his innovative approach to narrative disruption, which has garnered significant attention from narratologists.The study adopts a descriptive-analytical method, utilizing Genette’s comprehensive theory of narrative time to analyze the application of time return in Al-Fehres. It further investigates the factors contributing to the temporal displacements within the novel. The findings reveal that internal time return is the dominant feature of the novel’s temporal representation, manifesting as a movement through heterogeneous times—encompassing emotions such as sadness, fear, anxiety, and pleasure. This technique breaks the linear flow of time and, through its discontinuous and often chaotic presentation, prompts the reader to actively engage in deciphering the connections between themes and uncovering the narrative's underlying structure.
 
 
 

Abstract Pragmatics examines language in context and specific situations to elucidate the speaker's goals and intended meanings for transmission to the addressee. Presupposition, as one of the fundamental components of linguistic pragmatics, investigates the information that already exists between the speaker and the listener, which the speaker assumes the listener is aware of. Nahj al-Balaghah, as a religious and valuable text, is a rich source for guiding humanity. Undoubtedly, limiting oneself to the surface meanings of this book is equivalent to a lack of precise understanding of its profound and eternal concepts, for beneath its apparent words, it alludes to deep issues that require more careful investigation and study. The present research, employing a descriptive-analytical method and a pragmatic approach, has critically analyzed 90 proverbs of Nahj al-Balaghah based on the book Al-Amthal wa al-Hikam al-Mustakhrajah min Nahj al-Balaghah by Mohammad al-Gharawi. The aim is to achieve a more accurate reading and understanding of the presuppositions embedded in these proverbs. The findings indicate that Imam Ali (AS) expressed his moral, social, and political concepts through words and phrases containing hidden layers of meaning, reflecting his high linguistic and communicative competence. In the process of accessing these implicit meanings, by relying on structural, existential, factive, and non-factive presuppositions, he established a more effective communication with the audience and their mental presuppositions, thereby inviting the audience more deeply to reflect and contemplate beyond the concealed meanings.
 
 

Abstract Paul Werth’s (1999) text world approach posits that texts are independent worlds with their own rules and internal structures, focusing on the mental structures embedded within them. This methodology aids in comprehending the text’s underlying meaning and message through an analysis of the relationships among its elements, such as characters, locations, and events. Its foundation lies in the three worlds: text, discourse, and subtext. This article employs discourse analysis to examine the structure and meaning of the sermon 91 of Imam Ali (P.B.H.), known as the Sermon of Ashbah. By applying Paul Werth’s concept of discourse worlds, this article addresses the text’s multiple layers of meaning and interconnected concepts, identified by scrutinizing key world-building elements like characters and themes. The core research question is how the text world creation process, within Werth’s framework, generates meaning through harmony among these distinct textual worlds. Furthermore, this paper investigates the interrelationships between these discursive worlds and their contribution to the sermon’s coherence and overarching meaning. Findings reveal a multifaceted text that moves beyond simple religious discourse, offering profound insights into the nature of existence, human purpose, and the divine. The sermon is structured into different discourse worlds primarily centered on existence, creation, and humanity’s place in the world. The human discourse world specifically addresses man’s role in the world, his relationship with God, and his moral obligations, emphasizing free will, faith, worship, and humanity’s ultimate destiny.
 
 

Abstract The sociology of literature, an interdisciplinary field, aims to offer social criticism of literary works and illuminate the dynamic relationship between literature and society. A core concept within this critical approach is the notion of worldview, particularly as embodied by the ‘problematic hero’ in the novel, a concept initially introduced by Hungarian critic Georg Lukács. Lucien Goldmann expanded upon Lukács’ ideas, integrating them into his critical analyses and developing his theory of genetic structuralism. Muhammad al-‘Arusi al-Matwi’s contemporary Tunisian novel, Al-Tūt al-Murr, is recognized as a social novel that scrutinizes specific societal issues in Tunisia during the colonial era. This study seeks to provide a sociological critique of Al-Tūt al-Murr using a descriptive-analytical method based on Lucien Goldmann’s genetic structuralism, as sociological criticism is vital for understanding Tunisian society. The worldview of the novel’s problematic hero, Abdullah, is evident in his protest against prevailing conditions and his resistance to colonialism, demonstrated through his efforts to eliminate drug consumption in his village. These efforts include confronting the societal culture of submission and compromise, attempting to transform existing conditions, raising awareness among the youth, and establishing a purposeful group called the ‘Association for the Rescue of Youth’ (Jam‘iyyat Inqādh al-Shabāb). The findings suggest that while the hero achieves partial success, his loss of consciousness at the story’s conclusion and the author’s deliberate omission of his ultimate fate can be interpreted as symbolizing the hero’s inability to fully realize his goals
 
 

Abstract This study analyzes the contrast between tradition and modernity in Reem Al-Kamali's Novel Yomiat Roz, utilizing Theo Van Leeuwen’s theory of linguistic representation. The theoretical foundation of the research employs Van Leeuwen’s approach to demonstrate how specific linguistic choices—including vocabulary, grammar, style, and ideology—function as methods for portraying this contrast. Analysis of the novel’s text reveals that the language of tradition is represented through descriptive vocabulary, extended sentences, past tense verbs, and archaic expressions, particularly in the grandmother’s dialogue. This linguistic style evokes sentiments of nostalgia, belonging, and respect for cultural heritage. Conversely, modern language is reflected in the speech and thoughts of the character 'Rose' and the urban setting of Dubai, characterized by technical vocabulary, shorter sentences, present tense verbs, and a direct narrative style, thereby mirroring the challenges of innovation, individualism, and social change.The findings indicate that through this linguistic duality, the author establishes a conflict between tradition—manifested in family customs and fixed gender roles—and modernity—represented by educational aspirations, contemporary appearance, and individual creativity. This confrontation highlights not only a conceptual contradiction but also the inherent tension within Dubai’s transitional society. Ultimately, the research emphasizes that Van Leeuwen’s theory serves as an effective analytical tool for deciphering the ideological layers embedded in literary discourse, demonstrating that language in Al Kamali’s novel functions not just as a narrative medium but as a site of conflict and dialogue between tradition and modernity.
 
 

Abstract This study investigates the application of rule addition, a prominent linguistic foregrounding technique originating from Russian Formalism, within the poetry of Ajwad Mujbil Khafaji, a key figure in Iraqi resistance literature. Rule addition, conceptualized by Roman Jakobson as parallelism manifested through verbal repetition, involves the creative incorporation of linguistic rules beyond standard language usage to produce literary art. The research examines this phenomenon across phonological, lexical, and syntactic levels, acknowledging the diverse nature of stylistic devices generated through such parallelisms. Influenced by the pervasive themes of poverty, exile, war, tyranny, and injustice in his homeland, Khafaji’s poetry extensively reflects concepts of protest and defeat. Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology, this inquiry elucidates these themes by identifying patterns of rule addition. The primary objective is to demonstrate Khafaji’s linguistic dexterity in leveraging the expressive potential of language to convey protest and defeat, an area previously underexplored. The findings indicate that Khafaji’s utilization of rule addition extends beyond enhancing the musicality and imagery of protest and defeat; it serves as a mechanism for seeking escape from suffering and achieving liberation from internal turmoil. Specifically, in phonological parallelism, the repetition of the bright vowel (ā) and plosive consonants (b, d) evokes an atmosphere of protest, while the repetition of the low, dark vowel (u) and fricative consonants (f, s) signifies defeat. Lexical parallelism contributes to cohesion and semantic unity, and syntactic parallelism functions to emphasize and stabilize poetic imagery through the establishment of systematic repetitive structures.