Using kaf-ittashbeeh as a noun phrase in Classical Arabic: A Syntatic-Semantic Study

Abstract

This study reviews illustrations from Classical Arbic where Arabs use kaf-ittashbeeh as a noun phrase (Mithl [partly equivelent to “as” or “like” in English]). The purpose was to establish a kind of corpus of Classical Arabic spoken language that reveal the places where kaf-ittashbeeh used as a noun phrase (Mithl), to scrutinize the links between form and meaning in its noun phrase variations, and to explore semantic differences between kaf-ittashbeeh and the word (Mithl). To achieve this purpose, the study employed the descriptive inductive analytical approach. It was found that only Classical Arabic poetry contained a few illustrations indicating that Arabs did not use kaf-ittashbeeh as a noun phrase (Mithl) as much as they used it as a preposition; and this revealed that kaf-ittashbeeh is basically prepositional. Scholars based their argument that kaf-ittashbeeh could be used as a noun phrase upon two pieces of evidence: (a) it works as fa’el [equivlent to subject in English] or mubtada’; and (b) could be preceded by a preposition. The primary distinction between marking kaf-ittashbeeh as a noun phrase or a preposition is what its syntactic-stylistic function is. When it functions as fa’el in the context of exclusion/inclusion, it denotes negation. If, however, the word qualified is omitted while keeping kaf-ittashbeeh, it indicates that that word is characterized by many qualifiers. The lexical meaning of the word Mithl is different from kaf-ittashbeeh; in addition, kaf-ittashbeeh is just one letter, suggesting that it stands for a specific aspect when comparing one thing with another.    

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