The semantic connection between a verse and its opposite (an applied study in the antitheses of Jarir, Al-Farazdaq, and Al-Akhtal)

Abstract

This study examines the phenomenon of semantic cohesion between clauses in the linguistic structure of classical Arabic poetry, using the Naqā’iḍ (flyting poems) of Jarīr, Al-Farazdaq, and Al-Akḥṭal as an applied model. Semantic cohesion refers to the syntactic and semantic linkage that organically connects a clause—whether or not it has a grammatical function—to what precedes it. The study finds that the three poets intensively employ these clause connections in their poetry, to the extent that scarcely a verse by one exists without a counterpart by another poet using the same device, as a precise form of artistic opposition.

The study aims to identify patterns of this cohesion, analyze its syntactic and semantic functions, and compare its usage among the three poets to highlight their stylistic differences. The research's importance lies in highlighting the role of clausal cohesion in achieving textual coherence and its function in constructing poetic argumentation in Naqā’iḍ poetry, seeking to distinguish each poet’s stylistic fingerprint through verse and counter-verse. The significance also lies in examining the semantic linking of subordinate clauses to their preceding context, as this connection semantically strengthens and emphasizes meaning.