A Cognitive Linguistic Study of the Features of Gradability by Focus in Arabic (Published)
The present study tackles the linguistic phenomenon of ‘gradability by focus’ in Arabic from a cognitive linguistic perspective. By and large, the early Arab grammarians have not theorized about gradability despite its importance in the semantic relationships. They address some grammatical and morphological forms that convey either ends of the scale of gradability. Gradable forms include ‘‘’at-Tawwkīd’’ (i.e., emphasis), ‘’al-Mafξūl ’al-Muŧlaq” (i.e., the cognate object), şiyagh ’at-Taşghīr’’ (i.e., diminutive forms), “şiyagh ’al-Mubālaghah” (i.e., maximizers) and many other forms. However, they do not use any of the aforesaid forms under the heading of ‘’at-Tadarruj bit-Tarkīz’’ (i.e., gradability by focus). Therefore, the study grounds for ‘focus’ highlighting its salient lexical, grammatical, and morphological features in Arabic. The present paper provides definitions for gradability, focus, prototypicality and precision. Afterwards, it provides a detailed analysis of the sub-categories of prototypicality and precision unearthing their rhetorical functions. In conclusion, gradability by focus plays a key role in identifying the subtle shades of meaning. Tackling such cognitive linguistic features is of an overwhelming importance at the pure linguistic level as well as the sociolinguistic one.
Citation: Ali H.H.H. (2022) A Cognitive Linguistic Study of the Features of Gradability by Focus in Arabic, International Journal of English Language and Linguistics Research, Vol.10, No 5, pp.15-33
Keywords: Cognitive, Focus, Linguistic, Semantics, gradability, prototypicality
A Socio-Stylistic Analysis of Niyi Osundare’s “Blues for the New Senate King” (Published)
Style is an important aspect of literary analysis of text. The manipulation of words by a writer creates a distinct style through which he/she reaches out to the audience. A literary stylistic analysis of Niyi Osundare’s “Blues for the New Senate King” is carried out in order to demonstrate to the readers that a poet can deploy language to achieve satirical effect. To achieve this, lexico-syntactic patterns, graphological devices, phonological and morphological choices of the poet are stylistically analysed, using the approach that describes style as the linguistic choice of a writer. The paper found out that each of the linguistic choices has identifiable function that is performed in the poem. It is concluded that these linguistic elements contribute meaningfully to the overall message of the poem which satirizes the ignominious manner in which the Nigerian Senate President assumed the leadership of the upper chamber of legislature in Nigeria for the 8th Assembly.
Keywords: Linguistic, Literacy, Nigeria, Niyi Osundare, Poet, Style