Breaking the Syntactic Context in Arabic Grammar: The Out-of-Context Adjective as an Example

(Abdullah Muhammad Hayyany)

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Abstract

The research addresses an issue known in Arabic grammar as ‘the out-of-context adjective’. This is when the adjective ceases to relate to the preceding noun, so that it does not become subordinate to it but rather has a different syntax. This phenomenon exists in the Arabic language but it has not been examined in one single study, hence this paper aims to treat its aspects in one single work, thus facilitating its overall study. Following a descriptive and analytical approach, the paper explains this phenomenon and distinguishes between three cases: the case where the adjective can be cut from the noun it describes, the case where this is a must and the case where this is optional. The primary findings of the research include the fact that none of the above three cases can be deemed most appropriate, rather this depends on the intention of the speaker. The study recommends further investigation in both Arabic prose and poetry.

KEYWORDS
Adjective, noun, adjective-noun disagreement, Arabic grammar, Arabic language

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