Taxonomy
A rhetorical device taxonomy is a reference resource where rhetorical devices are organised by being identified, named, defined, and classified. The creation and use of taxonomies is essential for research into Arabic rhetoric, where different scholars and traditions may otherwise refer to the same rhetorical entity in different and inconsistent ways.
Taxonomies give the field of Arabic rhetoric a standardised ontology. They are an essential foundational element of emerging sciences such as rhetorical density measurement where a standardised system of rhetorical device identification is a pre-requisite.
Taxonomy structure
A taxonomy consists of:
- A hierarchical organisational structure - this is the taxonomy itself - and,
- The classification of rhetorical devices into that organisational structure so that each rhetorical device is identified as belonging to at least one location structural location. Optionally, the following may also be included for each rhetorical device:
- Definition
- Synonyms and names in different languages
- Sub-categories, each with their own definitions and synonyms
- Examples
- References to authoritative sources.
Taxonomy good practices
To ensure consistent reproducibility in academic research, it is good practice for a taxonomy to be:
- Versioned, meaning that named and fixed versions of the taxonomy exist, rather than the taxonomy being allowed to evolve without specified landmarks in its development. This allows users to refer to specific and well-known points in the taxonomy's development.
- Hosted on a document repository which is publicly available, permanent, and open-access. This allows all users to access the taxonomy equitably.
- Assigned stable, permanent identifiers such as Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs). This allows for reliable referencing and citation of the taxonomy.
Arabic Rhetorical Device Taxonomy
The Encyclopedia of Arabic Rhetoric published the first taxonomy of Arabic rhetorical devices, known as the Arabic Rhetorical Device Taxonomy in 2025.
