Generative-Transformational Analysis by Al-Khalil: An Applied Study of Grammatical Issues
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32792/tqartj.v8i47.671Keywords:
Grammatical Issues, Al-Khalil, Generative-Transformational Theory, Grammatical Legacy, Arabic SpeechAbstract
Modern linguistic studies, or what is known as linguistics, have taken the path of exploring the meanings of sentences and texts, and how these meanings arise, starting from the linguistic instinct of the individual to speech, and the impact this speech leaves. It is well known that the pioneer of this approach is the philosopher Noam Chomsky, who introduced the terms “generation” and “transformation” together. He believes that every utterance in any language undergoes these two processes, as if he established a general system for all languages. Each of these processes has concepts and rules through which grammatical structures can be analyzed to understand the resulting meanings.
Although this understanding is newly presented with these mechanisms, new terms, and new classification and categorization, it is not unfamiliar to the foundations of Arabic grammar. Anyone who closely examines the methods of grammatical analysis from the early grammarians will find that the substance of these methods is not devoid of the concepts and rules set by the proponents of the generative-transformational theory. This is abundantly found in the first grammatical work, “Kitab Sibawayh,” which carries the knowledge of Al-Khalil. Many believe that it is Al-Khalil’s knowledge revived by Sibawayh in his work. Therefore, this study is titled “Generative-Transformational Analysis by Al-Khalil: An Applied Study of Grammatical Issues” to clarify Al-Khalil’s encyclopedic mind in analyzing grammatical issues according to views seen by today’s scholars as their innovations. This is not to deny their intellectual effort but to highlight Al-Khalil’s deep thinking, his ability to comprehend Arabic speech, and his understanding and explanation of it.
The research methodology required the study to be divided into two sections: the first section explores the study’s concepts, starting from the concept of “analysis” from a grammatical perspective, then the terms “generation” and “transformation,” and the exploration of the concepts and rules of each, leading to Al-Khalil’s grammar in “Kitab Sibawayh.” The second section addresses grammatical issues analyzed by Al-Khalil according to the concepts and rules brought by the proponents of the generative theory. The study concludes with a summary of the most important research findings, along with a list of sources and references.
Keywords: Grammatical Issues, Al-Khalil, Generative-Transformational Theory
Downloads
References
• The Holy Quran.
• “Ibn Jinni: Scholar of Arabic,” Husam Saeed Al-Nuaimi, Ministry of Culture and Information, General Cultural Affairs House, Baghdad, 1st edition, 1990.
• “Akhbar al-Nahwiyeen al-Basriyeen,” Abu Saeed Al-Sirafi, edited by: Muhammad Ibrahim Al-Banna, Dar Al-I’tisam, Cairo, 1st edition, 1985.
• “Linguistics: Modern Linguistics Principles and Figures,” Michel Zakaria, University Institution for Studies, Publishing, and Distribution, Beirut, 2nd edition, 1983.
• “Linguistics, Generative and Transformational Grammar, and Arabic Grammar (Simple Sentence),” Michel Zakaria, University Institution for Studies, Publishing, and Distribution, Beirut, 2nd edition, 1986.
• “Amali Ibn Shajari,” edited by: Muhammad Mahmoud Al-Tanahi, Al-Khanji Library, Cairo, 1st edition, 1992.
• “Discourse Analysis in Light of Speech Act Theory,” Muhammad Okasha, University Publishing House, Cairo, 1st edition, 2013.
• “Language Teaching in Light of Generative-Transformational Grammar Theory,” Ibtihaal Muhammad Ali Al-Bar, First International Conference of the Center for Social Research and Consultations, London, 2012.
• “Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad: His Works and Methodology,” Mahdi Al-Makhzoumi, Dar Al-Raed Al-Arabi, Beirut, 2nd edition, 1986.
• “Al-Khalil in Sibawayh’s Book,” from the book of the Seventh International Conference titled: “Al-Khalil: The Genius of Arabic,” Cairo University, Faculty of Dar Al-Uloom, Department of Grammar, Morphology, and Prosody, March 20-21, 2013.
• “Sharh Al-Radhi on Ibn Al-Hajib’s Al-Kafiya,” Radhi Al-Din Al-Istrabadi, edited by: Yusuf Hassan Omar, Garyounis University, Libya, (no edition), 1975.
• “Explanation of Al-Farazdaq’s Diwan,” meanings verified by: Ilya Al-Hawi, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyya, Beirut, 1st edition, 1983.
• “Explanation of Sibawayh’s Book,” Abu Saeed Al-Sirafi, edited by: Ahmed Hassan Mahdi and Ali Said Ali, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyya, Beirut, 1st edition, 2008.
• “Tabaqat al-Nahwiyeen wa al-Lughawiyyeen,” Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Al-Zubaidi, edited by: Muhammad Abu Al-Fadl Ibrahim, Dar Al-Ma’arif, Cairo, 2nd edition, (no date).
• “Al-Farid fi I’rab Al-Quran Al-Majeed,” Abu Izz Al-Hamdani, edited by: Muhammad Nizam Al-Fateeh, Dar Al-Zaman, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, 1st edition, 2006.
• “Al-Fihrist,” Ibn Al-Nadim, edited by: Ibrahim Ramadan, Dar Al-Ma’arifa, Beirut, 2nd edition, 1997.
• “On the Grammar and Structures of Language: Method and Application,” Khalil Ahmed Amayreh, Alam Al-Ma’rifa, Jeddah, 1st edition, 1984.
• “Transformational Rules for the Arabic Language,” Muhammad Ali Al-Khuli, Dar Al-Mareekh, Riyadh, 1st edition, 1981.
• “Transformational Rules for the Arabic Language,” Muhammad Ali Al-Khuwaili, Dar Al-Falah, Jordan, (no edition), 1999.
• “Sibawayh’s Book,” Abu Bishr Amr ibn Uthman ibn Qanbar, edited by: Abdul Salam Harun, Al-Khanji Library, Cairo, 4th edition, 2004.
• “Linguistics: Origin and Development,” Ahmed Moamen, University Publications Office, Algeria, 2nd edition, 2005.
• “Principles of Linguistics,” Ahmed Muhammad Qaddour, Dar Al-Fikr, Damascus, 3rd edition, 2008.
• “Majalis Thalab,” Abu Al-Abbas Ahmed ibn Yahya Thalab, edited by: Abdul Salam Harun, Dar Al-Ma’arif, 5th edition, (no date).
• “Lectures on Linguistic Schools,” Shafiqa Al-Alawi, Abhath for Translation, Publishing, and Distribution, Beirut, 1st edition, 2004.
• “Contemporary Linguistic Schools,” Nouman Bouqara, Al-Adab Library for Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, (no edition), 2004.
• “Grammatical Schools,” Khadija Al-Hadithi, Dar Al-Amal, Irbid, Jordan, 3rd edition, 2001.
• “Introduction to Linguistics,” Muhammad Muhammad Younis Ali, Dar Al-Kitab Al-Jadeed, Beirut, 1st edition, 2004.
• “Ranks of Grammarians,” Abu Al-Tayyib Al-Lughawi, edited by: Muhammad Abu Al-Fadl Ibrahim, Al-Asriya Library, Sidon, Lebanon, (no edition), 2009.
• “Problems of Quranic Parsing,” Maki ibn Abi Talib Al-Qaisi, edited by: Hatem Saleh Al-Dhamin, Al-Resala Foundation, Beirut, 2nd edition, 1434 AH.
• “Analytical Terms in Creed Books: An Analytical Study,” Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al-Hamad, Dar Ibn Khuzaymah, Riyadh, 1st edition, 2006.
• “Al-Mu’jam Al-Wasit,” Ibrahim Mustafa, Ahmed Al-Zayyat, Hamed Abdul Qadir, Muhammad Al-Najjar, edited by: Arabic Language Academy, Cairo, (no date).
• “Linguistic Knowledge: Its Nature, Origins, and Use,” Noam Chomsky, translated by: Muhammad Fateeh, Dar Al-Fikr Al-Arabi, Cairo, (no edition), 1983.
• “Maqayis Al-Lugha,” Abu Al-Hasan Ahmed ibn Faris, edited by: Abdul Salam Harun, Dar Al-Fikr, (no edition), 1979.
• “Al-Muqtaab,” by Abu Al-Abbas Muhammad ibn Yazid Al-Mubarrad, edited by: Muhammad Abdul Khaliq Adhima, Islamic Heritage Revival Committee, Cairo, 3rd edition, 1994.
• “Semantic Grammatical Theories in Transformational and Generative Linguistics: An Attempt to Apply Them to Arabic Grammar,” Mazen Al-Wa’ar, National Printing Arts Foundation, Algeria, (no date).
Theses and Dissertations:
• “The Generative Approach in Modern Arabic Grammar: A Study in the Thought of Khalil Ahmed Amayreh” (Master’s Thesis), Zakmout Boubaker, Faculty of Arts and Languages, Kasdi Merbah University – Ouargla, 2012.
• “The Efforts of Both Dawood Abd and Michel Zakaria in the Arab Generative School” (Doctoral Dissertation), Hamza Ahmed Al-Khalifa, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan, 2013.
• “Analytical Study of Sibawayh’s Auditory Perceptions (PhD Thesis),” Hassan Abdul Ghani Al-Asadi, College of Education for Humanities, University of Karbala, 2024.
• “The Generative and Transformational Approach: A Descriptive Historical Study with an Applied Perspective on Sentence Structure in the Seven Long Pre-Islamic Poems (PhD Thesis),” Rifaat Kazem Al-Sudani, College of Arts, University of Baghdad, 2000.
Research and articles:
• “Chomsky and the Linguistic Revolution (Article),” John Searle, Arab Thought Magazine, Issue 8-9, 1979.
• “Characteristics of the Grammatical Method of Al-Khalil Ibn Ahmad in Light of the Generative Transformational Theory (Published Research),” Mustafa Ahmed Abdul Alim Bakhit, Journal of the Faculty of Dar Al Uloom, Vol. 35, Issue 114, 2018.
• “The Concept of Deep Structure between Chomsky and Arabic Grammar Studies (Article),” Murtadha Jawad Baqir, Journal of the Arabic Tongue, Issue 34, 1990.
• “The Generative Transformational Approach ‘Chomskyan’ (Published Research),” Zakaria Kamel Rajeh Maqdadi, Journal of Comprehensive University Studies, Vol. 1, Issue 4, 2020.
Published
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Dr. Ali Razaq Shaya
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The journal applies the license of CC BY (a Creative Commons Attribution International license). This license allows authors to keep ownership of the copyright of their papers. But this license permits any user to download, print out, extract, reuse, archive, and distribute the article, so long as appropriate credit is given to the authors and the source of the work. The license ensures that the article will be available as widely as possible and that the article can be included in any scientific archive.
How to Cite
