NOUNPRO: Nominal Prominence

    From The Encyclopedia of Arabic Rhetoric

    الإظهار في مقام الإضمار
    NOUNPRO: Nominal Prominence
    CategorySentence Construction & Syntactical Stylistics
    (ʿilm al-maʿānī)
    SubcategoryReferential Switches
    Synonymsالإظهار في موضع الإضمار
    Built upon8 sources
      
    Annotation Unit
    ARDT CodeNOUNPRO
    Level1 (Rhetorical device)
       ↳ Has 2 subtypes
         ↳ Has 9 sub-subtypes
      
    Included in Taxonomy
    ARDTv0.1.1
    v0.1.0
      
    External Identifiers
    BALAGHAScoreA-14
    BalaghaBaseQ51
    OpenAlexW4415329654
      
    Cite this page
    🔗 Live DOI10.64393/balagha.Q51
     
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    Definition

    Nominal Prominence (al-iẓhār fī maqām al-iḍmār) is an Arabic rhetorical device in which an explicit noun or nominal expression is used in a position where the discourse would ordinarily call for a pronoun.[1][2][3] The operation therefore constitutes a marked departure from the normally expected pronominal form: rather than maintaining reference through a pronoun, the communicator explicitly names or describes the referent.[1][4][5] This explicit nominal realisation can give renewed prominence to the referent and can support a range of further rhetorical effects depending on the expression used and its context.[1][5]

    Linguistic Operations

    • Nominal Prominence operates by replacing an expected pronominal reference with an explicit noun or nominal expression. The relevant discourse context would ordinarily call for a pronoun, but the communicator instead uses an overt nominal form.[1][2][3]
    • The operation therefore constitutes a departure from the normally expected form (khurūj ʿalā khilāf muqtaḍā al-ẓāhir): the contrast is between the pronominal expression expected from the discourse context and the explicit nominal expression actually realised.[1][4]
    • The operation does not require lexical repetition. An explicit nominal expression may replace an expected pronoun without the same expression having previously occurred, as when a communicator refers to themselves through a third-person nominal expression where a first-person pronoun would ordinarily be expected.[3]
    • Where the referent has already been expressed nominally, the operation may instead be realised through lexical repetition: an explicit noun or nominal expression is repeated in a subsequent position where ordinary anaphoric reference would permit or favour a pronoun.[5][4]
    • Lexical repetition alone is therefore insufficient to establish Nominal Prominence. The diagnostic feature is that the explicit nominal expression occupies a position in which pronominal reference would otherwise be expected. Al-Junīdī accordingly distinguishes this operation from ordinary lexical repetition while recognising that repetition may be the surface form through which it is realised.[4]

    Recognition

    Nominal Prominence may be present when:

    • An explicit noun or nominal expression occurs in a position where the discourse context would ordinarily call for a pronoun.[1][2][4]
    • A noun or nominal expression referring to an already established referent is repeated rather than replaced by the expected anaphoric pronoun. Lexical repetition alone is not sufficient: the relevant criterion is that pronominal reference would otherwise be expected in that position.[5][4]
    • A communicator refers to themselves through an explicit third-person nominal expression in a position where a first-person pronoun would ordinarily be expected.[3]

    The following diagnostic tests aid identification:

    • Identify the explicit noun or nominal expression and ask whether it could be replaced by a pronoun referring to the same referent while preserving the basic propositional meaning. If the pronoun represents the ordinarily expected form in that discourse context, the explicit nominal expression is evidence of Nominal Prominence.
    • If lexical material is repeated, ask whether the repetition specifically occurs instead of expected pronominal reference. If the repeated expression could not ordinarily be replaced by a pronoun in that position, repetition alone does not establish Nominal Prominence.
    • Do not require the explicit nominal expression to have occurred previously. In third-person self-reference, for example, the relevant contrast may be between an expected first-person pronoun and a newly supplied third-person nominal expression rather than between a pronoun and a repeated noun.

    Communicative Enhancements

    • Nominal Prominence can reinforce or establish the referent or proposition by replacing the normally expected pronoun with an explicit nominal expression.[6][4]
    • It can glorify or magnify the referent, or conversely express contempt, disparagement, or rebuke, according to the nominal expression selected and its context.[7][8][5]
    • It can generalise a statement beyond the immediately established referent or particularise its application by means of the semantic content of the explicit nominal expression.[9][10][2][5]
    • It can create alarm, awe, or apprehension, or allow the communicator to introduce a description or characterisation of the referent through the explicit nominal expression.[11][12][5]
    • It can make the explicit mention of a referent itself a source of rhetorical effect, including delighted or pleasurable mention (istildhādh) and the expression of high esteem.[13][5]
    • When a communicator refers to themselves through an explicit third-person nominal expression rather than an expected first-person pronoun, the operation can convey submissiveness, self-abasement, or an appeal for the addressee's sympathy.[3]
    • The operation can support further context-dependent rhetorical effects, including urgency, weightier reasoning, meaningful parallelism, paronomasia, purposeful reiteration, and the clarification of the scope of a proposition.[5]

    Applying the Recognition Framework

    The information on this page can be used to evaluate whether this device is present in a candidate lexical item using the Specific Device Recognition part of the Universal Framework for Identifying Arabic Rhetorical Devices:

    • Use the Definition, Mechanism, and Recognition sections of this page in Step 1.
    • Apply the substitution test in Step 2.
    • Consider contextual indicators in Step 3.
    • Use the Diagnostic Communicative Enhancements section of this page in Step 4.

    Subtypes of Nominal Prominence

    Hatim (1997) describes two structural patterns in which an explicit nominal expression occurs where pronominal reference would otherwise be expected.[3][5] In the first, a communicator uses a third-person nominal expression in self-reference where a first-person pronoun would ordinarily be expected. In the second, an explicit nominal expression referring to an already established referent is repeated where an anaphoric pronoun would ordinarily be expected.[3][5] Both instantiate the broader operation described in Arabic rhetorical sources as al-iẓhār fī maqām al-iḍmār.[1][2]

    The Encyclopedia therefore distinguishes the following two Level 2 structural variants:

    NOUNPRO-SRF: Nominal Prominence by Third-Person Self-Reference (al-iẓhār bi-l-iḥāla ilā al-nafs bi-ṣīghat al-ghāʾib)

    Annotation Unit
    ARDTNOUNPRO-SRF
    Level2 (Subtype)
    BalaghaBaseQ447
    Arabic nameal-iẓhār bi-l-iḥāla ilā al-nafs bi-ṣīghat al-ghāʾib

    A form of Nominal Prominence in which a communicator refers to themselves using an explicit third-person nominal expression in a position where a first-person pronoun would ordinarily be expected. Hatim (1997) describes this departure from expected first-person pronominal reference as capable of conveying submissiveness and appealing to the sympathy of the addressee.[3]

    إِلَهِي عَبْدُكَ الْعَاصِي أَتَاكَ مُقِرًّا بِالذُّنُوبِ وَقَدْ دَعَاكَ

    O my Lord, your erring servant has come to you, admitting his sins and calling upon you.

    Ibrāhīm ibn Adham (cited in Hatim, 1997, p. 78)

    Explanation
    The communicator refers to himself as ʿabduka al-ʿāṣī ("your erring servant") rather than using the expected first-person reference. The explicit nominal expression identifies the speaker through his relationship to the addressee and his state of disobedience; in Hatim's analysis, this marked third-person self-reference conveys submissiveness and seeks to arouse sympathy.[3]

    رَبِّ عَبْدُكَ الضَّعِيفُ يَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالرَّحْمَةَ.

    My Lord, your weak servant asks you for forgiveness and mercy.

    Explanation
    The communicator uses the third-person nominal expression ʿabduka al-ḍaʿīf ("your weak servant") where first-person reference would ordinarily be expected. The expression presents the speaker through a description of servitude and weakness, supporting a humble appeal for forgiveness and mercy.

    NOUNPRO-RPT: Nominal Prominence Through Repetition (al-iẓhār bi-l-takrār)

    Annotation Unit
    ARDTNOUNPRO-RPT
    Level2 (Subtype)
       ↳ Has 9 sub-subtypes
    BalaghaBaseQ448
    Arabic nameal-iẓhār bi-l-takrār

    A form of Nominal Prominence in which an explicit noun or nominal expression referring to an already established referent is repeated in a position where an anaphoric pronoun would ordinarily be expected. Hatim (1997) treats this as a rhetorically motivated departure from expected pronominal anaphora and identifies a range of purposes for which the explicit lexical expression may be retained or repeated.[5] The defining feature is not repetition alone, but repetition in a position in which pronominal reference would otherwise be expected. Al-Junīdī likewise distinguishes this pattern from ordinary lexical repetition on the basis that the explicit expression occurs where a pronoun could have been used.[4]

    The Encyclopedia distinguishes nine Level 3 annotation units within this structural variant according to the rhetorical purpose served by the explicit nominal expression:

    NOUNPRO-GLF: Nominal Prominence for Glorification (al-taʿẓīm wa-l-tafkhīm)

    Annotation Unit
    ARDTNOUNPRO-GLF
    Level3 (Sub-subtype)
    BalaghaBaseQ449
    Official Arabic nameal-taʿẓīm wa-l-tafkhīm[7]

    A form of Nominal Prominence in which an explicit noun or nominal expression is repeated in place of an expected pronoun in order to glorify, magnify, or elevate the referent. Glorification and magnification (al-taʿẓīm wa-l-tafkhīm) are explicitly identified as a rhetorical purpose of al-iẓhār fī maqām al-iḍmār in the Arabic rhetorical literature.[7] Hatim (1997) likewise identifies glorification as a purpose for retaining the explicit lexical expression rather than replacing it with an anaphoric pronoun.[5]

    أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ حِزْبُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ أَلَآ إِنَّ حِزْبَ ٱللَّهِ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ

    They are the party of Allah. Truly it is the party of Allah that will achieve felicity.

    Qur'an 58:22

    Explanation
    The second occurrence of Allāh appears in the explicit expression ḥizbu Allāh ("the party of Allah") where pronominal reference to the already established referent would otherwise be possible. Retaining the explicit divine name gives the referent renewed nominal expression and contributes to the glorification and magnification associated with the marked repetition.[5][7]

    هَذَا كَلَامُ الْحَقِّ، أَلَا إِنَّ كَلَامَ الْحَقِّ لَا يَنْطَفِئُ.

    This is the word of truth — truly the word of truth is never extinguished.

    Explanation
    The explicit expression al-ḥaqq ("truth") is repeated where pronominal reference could have maintained the established referent. Repeating the valued nominal expression rather than reducing the second reference to a pronoun presents the referent with renewed prominence and supports its elevation.

    NOUNPRO-CTR: Nominal Prominence for Contempt or Rebuke (al-ihāna wa-l-taḥqīr wa-l-tanfīr)

    Annotation Unit
    ARDTNOUNPRO-CTR
    Level3 (Sub-subtype)
    BalaghaBaseQ450
    Official Arabic nameal-ihāna wa-l-taḥqīr wa-l-tanfīr[8]

    A form of Nominal Prominence in which an explicit noun or nominal expression is repeated in place of an expected pronoun in order to express contempt, disparagement, or rebuke towards the referent. Humiliation, contempt, and aversion (al-ihāna wa-l-taḥqīr wa-l-tanfīr) are explicitly identified as a rhetorical purpose of al-iẓhār fī maqām al-iḍmār in the Arabic rhetorical literature.[8] Hatim (1997) similarly identifies contempt and insult among the purposes for which an explicit lexical expression may be repeated instead of an expected pronoun.[5]

    أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ حِزْبُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ أَلَآ إِنَّ حِزْبَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ هُمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ

    They are the party of Satan. Truly it is the party of Satan that will perish.

    Qur'an 58:19

    Explanation
    The explicit expression ḥizb al-shayṭān ("the party of Satan") is repeated where a pronoun could have referred back to the already established group. Repeating the condemnatory nominal expression renews the group's explicit association with Satan and thereby supports the contempt and rebuke conveyed by the passage.[5]

    هَذَا فِعْلُ الْجَاهِلِ، وَلَنْ يُفْلِحَ الْجَاهِلُ مَا دَامَ يَتَصَرَّفُ هَكَذَا.

    This is the act of the ignorant — and the ignorant will never succeed as long as they behave this way.

    Explanation
    The condemnatory expression al-jāhil ("the ignorant") is repeated where a pronoun could refer back to the same person. The repeated noun renews the disparaging characterisation rather than merely maintaining reference pronominally, thereby sustaining the rebuke.

    NOUNPRO-RUR: Nominal Prominence for Reinforcement and Urgency (al-iẓhār li-l-tawkīd wa-l-ilḥāḥ)

    Annotation Unit
    ARDTNOUNPRO-RUR
    Level3 (Sub-subtype)
    BalaghaBaseQ451
    Arabic nameal-iẓhār li-l-tawkīd wa-l-ilḥāḥ

    A form of Nominal Prominence in which an explicit noun or nominal expression is repeated in place of an expected pronoun in order to reinforce an exhortation, argument, or other communicative point and press it with increased force. Hatim (1997) identifies encouragement and urgency among the rhetorical purposes of lexical repetition in place of expected pronominal reference, and also discusses the capacity of such repetition to give reasoning greater weight.[5]

    فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ

    Then when you have decided, put your trust in Allah — for Allah loves those who put their trust in Him.

    Qur'an 3:159

    Explanation
    The second occurrence of Allāh explicitly repeats the referent where an anaphoric pronoun could have been used. The repeated nominal reference carries the object of the preceding exhortation into the reason supplied for it, reinforcing the call to place trust in Allah and giving the accompanying justification additional weight.[5]

    اعْمَلْ مِنْ أَجْلِ وَطَنِكَ، فَإِنَّ وَطَنَكَ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى كُلِّ أَبْنَائِهِ.

    Work for your homeland — for your homeland has need of all its sons.

    Explanation
    The explicit expression waṭanak ("your homeland") is repeated in the justification where a pronoun could have referred back to it. The repetition carries the object of the exhortation into the reason given for acting, reinforcing the appeal and pressing the call to action with renewed force.

    NOUNPRO-GNR: Nominal Prominence for Generalisation (al-ʿumūm)

    Annotation Unit
    ARDTNOUNPRO-GNR
    Level3 (Sub-subtype)
    BalaghaBaseQ452
    Official Arabic nameal-ʿumūm[9]

    A form of Nominal Prominence in which an explicit noun or nominal expression is used in place of an expected pronoun in order to extend the scope of a statement beyond the previously established referent to a broader class or category. Generalisation (al-ʿumūm) is explicitly identified as a rhetorical purpose of al-iẓhār fī maqām al-iḍmār in the Arabic rhetorical literature.[9] Hatim (1997) likewise identifies generalisation as a purpose for using an explicit lexical expression rather than expected pronominal reference.[5]

    وَمَا أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِى ۚ إِنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌۢ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ

    Nor do I absolve myself — truly the human soul is inclined towards evil.

    Qur'an 12:53

    Explanation
    The first reference, nafsī ("myself/my soul"), refers specifically to the speaker. In the following clause, the explicit nominal expression al-nafs ("the soul") is used rather than pronominal reference to that established referent. The explicit generic expression broadens the scope from the speaker's own soul to the human soul as a class.[5]

    لَا أَمْدَحُ نَفْسِي، فَإِنَّ النَّفْسَ مَيَّالَةٌ إِلَى الْغُرُورِ.

    I do not praise myself — for the human soul is inclined towards vanity.

    Explanation
    The initial expression nafsī refers specifically to the communicator, whereas the following explicit expression al-nafs presents the referent generically. Rather than maintaining the individual reference pronominally, the explicit noun broadens the proposition into a statement about the human soul in general.

    NOUNPRO-PRT: Nominal Prominence for Particularisation (al-khuṣūṣ)

    Annotation Unit
    ARDTNOUNPRO-PRT
    Level3 (Sub-subtype)
    BalaghaBaseQ453
    Official Arabic nameal-khuṣūṣ[10]

    A form of Nominal Prominence in which an explicit noun or nominal expression is used in place of expected pronominal reference in order to restrict or specify the scope of the statement. Particularisation (al-khuṣūṣ) is explicitly identified as a rhetorical purpose of al-iẓhār fī maqām al-iḍmār in the Arabic rhetorical literature.[10] Hatim (1997) likewise identifies particularisation among the purposes served by an explicit lexical expression in a position where pronominal reference would otherwise be expected.[5]

    وَامْرَأَةً مُّؤْمِنَةً إِن وَهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِىِّ

    And any believing woman who of her own free will dedicates herself to the Prophet.

    Qur'an 33:50

    Explanation
    The explicit reflexive expression nafsahā ("herself") specifies that the act of dedication is performed by the woman personally. In Hatim's analysis, the lexical expression therefore contributes a particularising constraint that would not be expressed in the same way by ordinary pronominal reference.[5]

    يُسْمَحُ لِلطَّالِبِ بِالتَّقَدُّمِ إِذَا قَدَّمَ الطَّالِبُ طَلَبًا خَطِّيًّا.

    The student may apply, provided that the student submits a written request.

    Explanation
    The explicit repetition of al-ṭālib ("the student") occurs where a pronoun could refer back to the previously established student. In this context, repeating the nominal expression specifies the person to whom the stated condition applies, restricting the requirement to the identified participant.

    NOUNPRO-CRE: Nominal Prominence for Conceptual Reinforcement (ziyādat al-taqrīr wa-l-tamkīn)

    Annotation Unit
    ARDTNOUNPRO-CRE
    Level3 (Sub-subtype)
    BalaghaBaseQ454
    Official Arabic nameziyādat al-taqrīr wa-l-tamkīn[6]

    A form of Nominal Prominence in which an explicit noun or nominal expression is repeated in place of expected pronominal reference in order to reinforce and establish the expressed concept. Increased confirmation and establishment (ziyādat al-taqrīr wa-l-tamkīn) are explicitly identified as a rhetorical purpose of al-iẓhār fī maqām al-iḍmār in the Arabic rhetorical literature.[6] Hatim (1997) likewise identifies the consolidation of a concept as one of the purposes served by lexical repetition in place of expected pronominal reference.[5]

    وَبِٱلْحَقِّ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ وَبِٱلْحَقِّ نَزَلَ

    We sent it down in truth, and in truth has it descended.

    Qur'an 17:105

    Explanation
    The expression bi-l-ḥaqq ("in truth") is repeated across the two clauses rather than being left implicit or replaced by a reduced anaphoric form. The repetition explicitly carries the concept of truth through both the sending down and the descent, thereby reinforcing and establishing it as a central element of the proposition.[5]

    بُنِيَتْ هَذِهِ الْمَدِينَةُ عَلَى الْعَدْلِ، وَبِالْعَدْلِ وَحْدَهُ تَبْقَى.

    This city was built on justice — and by justice alone does it endure.

    Explanation
    The explicit expression al-ʿadl ("justice") is repeated in the second clause rather than being left implicit or reduced to an anaphoric form. Repetition explicitly maintains the concept across both propositions, reinforcing justice as the principle connecting the city's foundation with its continued existence.

    NOUNPRO-AWN: Nominal Prominence for Alarm and Warning (tarbiyat al-mahāba wa-idkhāl al-rawʿ fī nafs al-mukhāṭab)

    Annotation Unit
    ARDTNOUNPRO-AWN
    Level3 (Sub-subtype)
    BalaghaBaseQ455
    Official Arabic nametarbiyat al-mahāba wa-idkhāl al-rawʿ fī nafs al-mukhāṭab[10]

    A form of Nominal Prominence in which an explicit noun or nominal expression is repeated in place of expected pronominal reference in order to create apprehension, heighten the gravity of what is being said, or intensify a warning. Cultivating awe and instilling fear in the addressee (tarbiyat al-mahāba wa-idkhāl al-rawʿ fī nafs al-mukhāṭab) are explicitly identified as a rhetorical purpose of al-iẓhār fī maqām al-iḍmār in the Arabic rhetorical literature.[11] Hatim (1997) likewise identifies the use of lexical repetition to create alarm among the purposes of explicit nominal reference in place of expected pronominal reference.[5]

    لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ ... وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُوا۟ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

    They do indeed blaspheme, those who say God is one of three... and if they do not desist, a grievous penalty will befall those among them who blaspheme.

    Qur'an 5:73

    Explanation
    The second explicit expression alladhīna kafarū ("those who disbelieve") occurs where pronominal reference to the previously established group would otherwise be possible. Reintroducing the group through an explicit expression that again characterises them by their disbelief accompanies the threatened punishment and heightens the gravity of the warning.[5]

    مَنْ خَانَ الْأَمَانَةَ سَيَنْدَمُ، وَلَنْ تُغْفَرَ لِخَائِنِ الْأَمَانَةِ زَلَّتُهُ بِسُهُولَةٍ.

    Whoever betrays the trust will come to regret it — and the transgression of one who betrays the trust will not easily be forgiven.

    Explanation
    The expression al-amāna ("the trust") is explicitly repeated within the description of the offender rather than being left to reduced reference. The renewed lexical mention carries the object of the original offence into the warning about its consequences, sustaining the gravity of the admonition.

    NOUNPRO-SLF: Nominal Prominence for Self-Description (al-iẓhār li-l-waṣf al-dhātī)

    Annotation Unit
    ARDTNOUNPRO-SLF
    Level3 (Sub-subtype)
    BalaghaBaseQ456
    Arabic nameal-iẓhār li-l-waṣf al-dhātī

    A form of Nominal Prominence in which an explicit noun or nominal expression is used in place of expected pronominal reference in order to enable a communicator to introduce or elaborate a description of themselves. Hatim (1997) identifies self-description as a purpose of lexical repetition in place of expected pronominal reference, allowing descriptive qualities to be expressed without sustained first-person self-reference.[5] A broader related purpose is identified in the Arabic rhetorical literature as using the explicit expression as a means to description (al-tawaṣṣul bi-l-ẓāhir ilā al-waṣf).[12]

    قُلْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ... فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ٱلنَّبِىِّ ٱلْأُمِّىِّ ٱلَّذِى يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَـٰتِهِ

    Say: O humankind, I am the Messenger of Allah to you all... so believe in Allah and His unlettered Prophet who believes in Allah and His words.

    Qur'an 7:158–159

    Explanation
    The discourse begins with first-person reference, but subsequently uses the explicit nominal expression rasūlihi al-nabiyyi al-ummiyyi ("His unlettered Prophet") rather than continuing with first-person pronominal reference. The explicit expression makes descriptive material available within the reference itself, allowing the speaker's prophetic status and qualities to be stated through nominal description.[5]

    أَنَا مُعَلِّمُكُمْ وَقَدْ كَرَّسْتُ حَيَاتِي لِلْعِلْمِ، فَاسْمَعُوا لِمُعَلِّمِكُمُ الَّذِي لَا يَبْخَلُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ.

    I am your teacher, and I have dedicated my life to knowledge — so listen to your teacher who withholds nothing from you.

    Explanation
    The communicator returns to the explicit expression muʿallimikum ("your teacher") where pronominal self-reference could otherwise have been used. The nominal expression provides a basis for the following relative clause and thereby allows the communicator to elaborate a description of themselves.

    NOUNPRO-DMN: Nominal Prominence for Delighted Mention (al-istildhādh bi-dhikr al-muẓhar)

    Annotation Unit
    ARDTNOUNPRO-DMN
    Level3 (Sub-subtype)
    BalaghaBaseQ457
    Official Arabic nameal-istildhādh bi-dhikr al-muẓhar[13]

    A form of Nominal Prominence in which an explicit noun or nominal expression is repeated in place of expected pronominal reference because the communicator takes pleasure or delight in explicitly mentioning the referent. Delighting in the mention of the explicit expression (al-istildhādh bi-dhikr al-muẓhar) is explicitly identified as a rhetorical purpose of al-iẓhār fī maqām al-iḍmār in the Arabic rhetorical literature.[13] Hatim (1997) independently identifies istildhādh as a purpose for lexical repetition in place of expected pronominal reference.[5]

    مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا

    Whoever seeks glory and power — to Allah belongs all glory and power.

    Qur'an 35:10

    Explanation
    The explicit expression al-ʿizza ("glory and power") is repeated rather than replaced by reduced reference. In Hatim's analysis, the repetition exemplifies istildhādh: the explicit lexical expression is retained because its mention is itself a source of rhetorical pleasure or delight.[5]

    مَنْ أَحَبَّ الْعِلْمَ أَنَارَ اللَّهُ طَرِيقَهُ، وَالْعِلْمُ نُورٌ لَا يَنْطَفِئُ.

    Whoever loves knowledge — Allah will illuminate their path, for knowledge is a light that never goes out.

    Explanation
    The valued concept al-ʿilm ("knowledge") is explicitly named again where reference could otherwise be reduced. In this constructed instance, the renewed lexical mention presents the act of naming the valued concept itself as pleasurable, illustrating delighted mention.

    Different From

    • PRONOUN: Forward-Pointing Pronoun (al-iḍmār maqām al-iẓhār) — the inverse device: a pronoun is used before its referent has been named. Nominal Prominence uses an explicit noun where a pronoun is expected; Forward-Pointing Pronoun uses a pronoun where a noun would be the expected form.[3][5]

    Notes

    Technical

    • Hatim (1997) identifies five further rhetorical purposes for lexical repetition in anaphoric position that are not included as principal subtypes in this entry, either because they overlap significantly with the nine subtypes above or because they operate primarily in domains beyond referential switching. These are: (1) Paronomasia (tajnīs), where lexical repetition creates a pleasing similarity of sound alongside its referential function; (2) Meaningful Parallelism, where repetition maintains structural balance between two clauses; (3) Carrying a Necessary Pronominal Element, where repetition is required to avoid an ambiguous or syntactically impossible pronominal reference; (4) Purposeful Reiteration, where repetition deliberately distinguishes two different senses of the same word; and (5) Defining the Scope of a Proposition, where repetition demarcates the boundary between two different speech acts. These are noted here for completeness; readers interested in a full account are directed to Hatim (1997), pp. 79–88.[5]
    • Taxonomic position. Nominal Prominence belongs to the broader rhetorical treatment of choices in nominal reference. In the classical organisation of ʿilm al-maʿānī, such choices are discussed particularly through the states of the subject (aḥwāl al-musnad ilayhi), including definiteness and indefiniteness (al-taʿrīf wa-l-tankīr). Within this wider system, Nominal Prominence represents a marked choice between pronominal and explicit nominal reference: where the discourse would ordinarily favour a pronoun, an explicit noun or nominal expression is used instead.[14][1]
    • This operation is traditionally described as al-iẓhār fī maqām al-iḍmār, and in closely related formulations as al-iẓhār fī mawḍiʿ al-iḍmār and waḍʿ al-muẓhar mawḍiʿ al-muḍmar. These formulations describe the same underlying departure from the normally expected pronominal form.[2][1][14]
    • Within the Encyclopedia's taxonomic architecture, the operation can also be analysed in terms of foregrounding and backgrounding. Pronominal reference can background an already accessible referent, whereas replacing an expected pronoun with an explicit nominal expression restores lexical material to explicit expression and can thereby support rhetorical effects such as reinforcement, glorification, contempt, generalisation, particularisation, or other context-dependent effects. This is an analytical interpretation adopted by the Encyclopedia rather than terminology used by the cited Arabic rhetorical sources.
    • Broader treatments of definiteness and indefiniteness in sources such as ʿAkkāwī, ʿAbbās, and Nāṣif provide the surrounding system of nominal and referential choices but do not, in the passages cited on this page, independently establish the name of this operation.[15][16][17]

    References

    1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī, [ Al-Iḍāʾah fī Manhaj al-Aṣfahānī fī al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Ḍarūratuhu, Aghrāḍuhu, ʿInāyat al-Mufassirīn Bihi [Illumination on al-Aṣfahānī’s Method in al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Its Necessity, Purposes, and Exegetes’ Attention to It]], 32nd ed. (Kuwait: Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Cultural Affairs Sector, 2012), 22.
    2. ↑ a b c d e f Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn, [ Uṣūl fī al-Tafsīr [Fundamentals of Qur’anic Exegesis]] (Dammam: Dār Ibn al-Jawzī lil-Nashr wa-al-Tawzīʿ, 2008), Silsilat Muʾallafāt Faḍīlat al-Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn, no. 3, 67.
    3. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Basil Hatim, Arabic Rhetoric: The Pragmatics of Deviation from Linguistic Norms, LINCOM Studies in Communication 04 (Munich: Lincom Europa, 2010), 78, ISBN 9783929075731.
    4. ↑ a b c d e f g h Aljnidi, Jamila bint Abdullah bin Nasser, The Eloquence of Manifestation in the Place of Implication in the Interpretation of Liberation and Enlightenment in the Detailed Surahs, Journal of Umm Al-Qura University for Language Sciences and Literature 33 (June 2024): 128–142, 134, doi: 10.54940/ll37250091.
    5. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af Basil Hatim, Arabic Rhetoric: The Pragmatics of Deviation from Linguistic Norms, LINCOM Studies in Communication 04 (Munich: Lincom Europa, 2010), 78–88, ISBN 9783929075731.
    6. ↑ a b c ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī, [ Al-Iḍāʾah fī Manhaj al-Aṣfahānī fī al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Ḍarūratuhu, Aghrāḍuhu, ʿInāyat al-Mufassirīn Bihi [Illumination on al-Aṣfahānī’s Method in al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Its Necessity, Purposes, and Exegetes’ Attention to It]], 32nd ed. (Kuwait: Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Cultural Affairs Sector, 2012), 29.
    7. ↑ a b c d ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī, [ Al-Iḍāʾah fī Manhaj al-Aṣfahānī fī al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Ḍarūratuhu, Aghrāḍuhu, ʿInāyat al-Mufassirīn Bihi [Illumination on al-Aṣfahānī’s Method in al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Its Necessity, Purposes, and Exegetes’ Attention to It]], 32nd ed. (Kuwait: Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Cultural Affairs Sector, 2012), 33.
    8. ↑ a b c ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī, [ Al-Iḍāʾah fī Manhaj al-Aṣfahānī fī al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Ḍarūratuhu, Aghrāḍuhu, ʿInāyat al-Mufassirīn Bihi [Illumination on al-Aṣfahānī’s Method in al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Its Necessity, Purposes, and Exegetes’ Attention to It]], 32nd ed. (Kuwait: Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Cultural Affairs Sector, 2012), 37.
    9. ↑ a b c ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī, [ Al-Iḍāʾah fī Manhaj al-Aṣfahānī fī al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Ḍarūratuhu, Aghrāḍuhu, ʿInāyat al-Mufassirīn Bihi [Illumination on al-Aṣfahānī’s Method in al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Its Necessity, Purposes, and Exegetes’ Attention to It]], 32nd ed. (Kuwait: Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Cultural Affairs Sector, 2012), 47.
    10. ↑ a b c d ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī, [ Al-Iḍāʾah fī Manhaj al-Aṣfahānī fī al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Ḍarūratuhu, Aghrāḍuhu, ʿInāyat al-Mufassirīn Bihi [Illumination on al-Aṣfahānī’s Method in al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Its Necessity, Purposes, and Exegetes’ Attention to It]], 32nd ed. (Kuwait: Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Cultural Affairs Sector, 2012), 51.
    11. ↑ a b ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī, [ Al-Iḍāʾah fī Manhaj al-Aṣfahānī fī al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Ḍarūratuhu, Aghrāḍuhu, ʿInāyat al-Mufassirīn Bihi [Illumination on al-Aṣfahānī’s Method in al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Its Necessity, Purposes, and Exegetes’ Attention to It]], 32nd ed. (Kuwait: Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Cultural Affairs Sector, 2012), 51–54.
    12. ↑ a b ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī, [ Al-Iḍāʾah fī Manhaj al-Aṣfahānī fī al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Ḍarūratuhu, Aghrāḍuhu, ʿInāyat al-Mufassirīn Bihi [Illumination on al-Aṣfahānī’s Method in al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Its Necessity, Purposes, and Exegetes’ Attention to It]], 32nd ed. (Kuwait: Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Cultural Affairs Sector, 2012), 58.
    13. ↑ a b c ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī, [ Al-Iḍāʾah fī Manhaj al-Aṣfahānī fī al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Ḍarūratuhu, Aghrāḍuhu, ʿInāyat al-Mufassirīn Bihi [Illumination on al-Aṣfahānī’s Method in al-Mufradāt al-Gharīb: Its Necessity, Purposes, and Exegetes’ Attention to It]], 32nd ed. (Kuwait: Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Cultural Affairs Sector, 2012), 40.
    14. ↑ a b Ḥasan ibn Ismāʿīl ibn Ḥasan ibn ʿAbd al-Razzāq al-Janājī, [ Al-Naẓm al-Balāghī bayna al-Naẓariyyah wa-al-Taṭbīq [Rhetorical Arrangement between Theory and Application]] (Cairo: Dār al-Ṭibāʿah al-Muḥammadiyyah, 1983).
    15. ↑ Inʿam Fawwal ʿAkkawi, al-Muʿjam al-Mufassal fi ʿUlum al-Balagha: al-Badiʿ wa-l-Bayan wa-l-Maʿani (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyya, 1996), 385–386.
    16. ↑ Faḍl Ḥasan ʿAbbās, Al-Balāgha: Funūnuhā wa-Afnānuhā - ʿIlm al-Maʿānī (Irbid: Dār al-Furqān lil-Nashr wa-al-Tawzīʿ, 1997), 295–334.
    17. ↑ Ḥafnī Nāṣif, Muḥammad Diyāb, Sultan Muḥammad and Muṣṭafā Ṭammām, Durūs al-Balāgha (Beirut: Dār Ibn Ḥazm, 2012), 49–56, ISBN 9786144162798.



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