Journal of Language Studies

Abstract This research aims to study the levels of linguistic analysis in lights of the findings of comparative Semitic studies. It moves from linguistic comparison to the analysis of poetic texts, employing a scientific approach that seeks to re-employ the comparative method by interpreting Arabic linguistic phenomena within its comprehensive framework. In short, the research is based on a fundamental premise; a deep scientific understanding of the Arabic language can’t be complete without studying its historical and linguistic relationship with its Semitic counterparts, given the shared characteristics (phonetics, morphology, syntax, and lexicography) that these languages ​​possess, stemming from a common Semitic origin. To achieve the research objectives, a descriptive, analytical, and comparative approach was adopted to reveal the impact of Semitic studies on the development of linguistic analysis levels. This was accomplished through four main levels: the comparative level, the rhythmic/phonetic level, the lexical/morphological level, and the cultural/literary level. Thus, a number of findings emerged, the most important of which are: that delving into Semitic studies contributes to explaining many linguistic phenomena that remained obscure in traditional Arabic studies; in addition, it provides a contemporary methodological framework that helps us trace the historical development of the Arabic language and understand its deep structure and its relationship to the shared Semitic heritage; and that expanding the horizons of Arabic linguistic studies through the comparative method restores balance to linguistic study and enhances our reading of literary texts, enabling a deeper and more aesthetically pleasing reading. Therefore, we recommend the necessity of integrating Semitic studies into the curricula of Arabic language departments as a global and methodological imperative that contributes to building a more accurate understanding of the origins of the Arabic language and its linguistic and cultural history. “This, in turn, enhances our reading of Semitic language texts, rendering them more profound and aesthetically nuanced, in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). This is achieved through contributing to the preservation of linguistic and cultural heritage and promoting its sustainability via comparative studies among these languages.”

Abstract This study attempted to discover the features of the artistic experience of the novelist Ahlam Mosteghanemi in her two novels (Memory in the Flesh and Chaos of the Senses). We focused on the applied aspect concerning the manner of structuring and arranging events, in addition to the ideological stances. It is necessary to examine some ideological positions that revealed the life and reality of the Algerian society and its suffering through the novelist's monitoring of certain situations and events from Algerian history. The most important findings were summarized at the conclusion of the research.

Abstract The rhetorical Appeal (al-isti'nāf al-bayānī) in the Qur'an encompasses a variety of meanings determined by the context in which it occurs. These meanings are numerous and manifest in diverse rhetorical forms. This study seeks to examine two of these meanings in particular: astonishment and indirect allusion (taʿrīḍ). It also aims to highlight their aesthetic and rhetorical features and to uncover some of the enduring secrets of Qur'anic expression. Accordingly, each of these two meanings—astonishment and indirect allusion—will be discussed in a separate section. The study is therefore organized into two main sections: the first examines explanatory resumption as an expression of astonishment, while the second explores explanatory resumption as a form of indirect allusion. These are followed by a conclusion and a bibliography of the primary and secondary sources that constituted the foundation for the preparation of this study.

Abstract This study, entitled Grammatical Interpretations in the Light of Cognitive Linguistics: A Study Based on the Mental Processing of Grammatical Structures, examines how Arab grammarians accounted for grammatical constructions that deviate from established analogical rules. Their analyses sought to reveal the relationships between meaning and syntactic form within these constructions. The present study aims to build upon the methodological approach developed by earlier scholars in explaining the relationship between form and meaning, as well as the cognitive links established in the minds of both the speaker and the hearer during the process of communication. The study is organized into two main sections. The first, "Grammatical Interpretation and Cognitive Linguistics: A Study of the Concept and Its Development," examines the theoretical foundations of both grammatical interpretation and cognitive linguistics. The second, "Grammatical Interpretation and Cognitive Linguistics: Selected Examples of Interpretive Phenomena in the Holy Qur'an," analyzes selected Qur'anic examples in light of cognitive linguistic principles. The study concludes with a conclusion followed by a list of references.

Abstract Dialogue is one of the most important narrative tools contributing to the construction of the contemporary Iraqi novel. It has become an artistic means capable of reshaping collective memory after the occupation through literary methods and new narrative forms. Sinan Antoon's novel Fihris, with its dialogic nature, possesses a remarkable ability to present a worldview by relying on dialogue to reveal the social fragmentation resulting from the accumulation of conflicts between the self and the other. While there are several aspects of dialogue that can be explored in this research, the central question is: how does dialogue contribute to the novel's narrative and intellectual structure? Therefore, the research problem stems from the need to understand the dialogic structure and necessitates demonstrating the artistic role of dialogue in revealing the characters' consciousness within a narrative space that enriches the text, imbues it with vitality, and brings it closer to reality.

Abstract This research aims to study the symbolism in the sayings of Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) and analyze its philosophical impact through a aesthetic analytical study، The research focuses on how Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) used symbols in his sayings and wisdom, aiming to convey profound meanings that go beyond the apparent to the hidden، Symbolism is a powerful tool in literature and thought, contributing to creating a deep philosophical impact on the reader or listener، By understanding the symbols used by the Imam, the intellectual and philosophical aspects that the Imam seeks to stimulate in individuals are revealed، From an aesthetic perspective, the sayings of Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) are characterized by the use of rhetorical symbols that carry multiple meanings, provoking thought and contemplation on the concepts of life, repentance, and knowledge، For example, symbols related to light, darkness, the heart, and water are used to represent concepts such as guidance and ignorance, life and death, enhancing the aesthetic understanding of these sayings and providing a philosophical and spiritual dimension، From a philosophical perspective, the research addresses how these symbols impact the intellectual awareness of individuals and the collective. They not only convey intellectual meanings but also contribute to shaping values and ethics, while promoting philosophical contemplation and intellectual growth in individuals.

Abstract The concept of receiving critical path and perhaps a measure of the extent to investigate the poetic especially poets, especially in the context of a racist (expected and unexpected), by seeking to restore the essence of poetic text analysis, parallel to the seam to touch the emotional interaction and participation from the presence of its recipients. It seems clear in the text of hair Naseeb petition Vchaara - often - will make an impact in the minds of the recipient, especially astute receiver who knows the secrets of speech. The process is familiar communicative situated between them, if we look at the texts of his hair, if I jumped diverse data variables into the mind of the recipient, you will not find the latter appeared to give a bit of perspective, according to his abilities innate and acquired.

Abstract Ẓafir al-Ḥaddad is regarded as one of the prominent poets of the Fatimid period. He is distinguished by a refined linguistic style, strong expressive capacity, and the aesthetic quality of his poetic imagery and diction. His poetry is characterized by clarity and accessibility, being free from obscure or archaic expressions. It is also notable for its focus on themes drawn from the lives of ordinary and lower social classes. This orientation may be attributed to the poet’s own background, as he originated from the working class and practiced blacksmithing before circumstances brought him into contact with the ruling elite, after which he became one of the court poets. His poetic corpus has received considerable attention from scholars, as it constitutes a valuable historical and geographical source. Al-Ḥaddād references numerous geographical locations and addresses a variety of religious and social occasions of the Fatimid era. Furthermore, his poetry offers insights into the intellectual and cultural context of the period, including aspects of prevailing beliefs and representations of everyday life, such as food culture and social practices.

Abstract Language is constantly renewed, and the study of language requires scientific and academic research. Every language is expanding and developing to remain a living language, at any level. In Kurdish, the interpretation of morphemes (a, w) which are one of the most complex and active morphemes of this language, play a great role in creating new words and sentences. The purpose of working on this topic is to introduce the ways in which new dictionary words are created to enrich the language, because if we look at the lexical level, it creates new words with new meanings. In general, this article introduces and determines the function of the morpheme (a,w) at the level of vocabulary and syntax. The paper consists of an introduction and three parts. How is? At the level of morphology and syntax, the second section discusses the role of the morpheme (a, w) in morphology. In the third section, the role of the morpheme (a, w) at the syntactic level is discussed.

Abstract This study discusses the classification of verbs in Kurdish from the perspective of William Craft (2012). In his theory of aspectual types, Craft relies on two dimensions. First, the time dimension, which refers to the time taken by each action from the starting point to the end and to the result of the action; second, there are the dimensions of change, in which the nature of change includes the circumstances and state of the action. Craft uses a tree diagram to represent both dimensions, each occupying a pole on the diagram. This research aims to identify and categorize the types and subtypes of verbs in the Kurdish language, drawing on Croft's theoretical framework. In this research, four verb types have been identified, which are: "stative verbs, activities, temporals, and accomplishments." Subsequently, for each of these types, several subtypes are presented, and then their points of similarity and difference are examined. In this research, a specific number of examples from the Kurdish language have been randomly selected, which are structurally diverse. These verbs, from the perspective of "two-dimensional analysis of aspectual types," are distributed across the types and subtypes. Then, each of these is represented and analyzed according to Croft's tree diagram on both the "x" and "y" axes.

Abstract The present study, drawing on the mythological and phenomenological theories of Mircea Eliade, examines the function and role of the dīvs (demons) in Shāhnāmeh. It also seeks to analyze the reflection of the dīvs in the Shāhnāmeh in relation to the layers of primordial myths within the Mazdean tradition. According to Eliade’s definition, myth is the narration of events that occurred “in the beginning”; therefore, the presence of the dīvs in the Shāhnāmeh is not merely an epic or literary element, but rather a return to the primordial events of creation and to the original struggle between light and darkness. In this study, the dīvs are analyzed, as principal examples, in connection with the stories of Keyumars and Siyāmak, Tahmuras the Demon-Binder, Jamshid, the demons of Mazandaran, and Akvan the Demon. In the narrative of Keyumars and Siyāmak, the opposition between Ahriman and Ahura Mazda is re-created on an epic narrative level. In the account of Tahmuras, the dīvs are, on the one hand, regarded as ahrimanic forces and, on the other, by granting the art of writing to humankind, they bring about the manifestation of a paradoxical concept, or, in Eliade’s terms, a “coincidence of opposites.” In the story of Jamshid, the dīvs, through the aid of the divine farr, are integrated into the framework of sacred order; however, with the rupture of this farr, they are transformed into forces of chaos.The demons of Mazandaran and Akvan the Demon likewise each reveal an aspect of the relationship between cosmogony and regeneration.

Abstract Daniel Lanzini's play "Obsessions Emerging from the East" explores the crisis of Jewish identity in the face of cultural and social challenges. The play depicts the struggle of Jewish characters as they search for identity and confront the challenges they face in a multicultural society. Through an exploration of cultural coexistence, the play raises questions about identity, belonging, and the relationship between different cultures.

Abstract Nabizade Nazim was born in Istanbul on January 1, 1862, and became one of the major figures of realism in Turkish literature during his time in the Servet-i Funun group. He was educated at the Military Medical College and became interested in literature from an early age. The author, who focused on observational descriptions and psychological analyses in his works, is famous for his novel "Zahra". He unfortunately died of tuberculosis in Istanbul on August 6, 1893, at the age of 31. The novel "Zahra", published by Nabizade Nazim in 1894, is one of the first novels in Turkish literature to be affected by the naturalistic approach. The novel features a dramatic plot occurring around the theme of jealousy and is distinguished by its in-depth exploration of the psychological aspects of the characters Nabizade Nazim succeeded in using realism in his novel by focusing on observational narration and detailed descriptions. Nabizade Nazim's novel "Zahra" is a prominent work that embodies the concept of realism in Turkish literature during the transition period from the regulation era to the Servet-I Funun era. It is also distinguished by its language and style in this context, which inverted the use of dualism and the linguistic understanding of that period and added aesthetic richness to the text. Nabizade Nazim's purposeful use of repetition and duality is evident throughout the novel. This repetition is often used to express the mood of the characters, improve descriptions, and ensure a smooth narrative. For example, when describing characters' inner worlds, repetitions such as "clearly open" or "very deep" emphasize the intensity of feelings. Some of the couplets in the work consist of words with similar meanings, while others were chosen to achieve proper harmony or rhythm; this shows Nabizade Nazim's focus on simplicity and literary affectation in the language. These repetitions also reveal that, in spite of the novel's realistic orientation, it sometimes adopts a poetic language. In conclusion, the duplication in the novel "Zahra" is not just an element that beautifies the narrative, but rather an important linguistic tool that deepens the characters' psychology, makes the descriptions more alive, and gives the work a unique harmony. In this regard, Nabizade Nazim followed a realistic approach in her Turkish novel, successfully taking advantage of the rich expressive possibilities of the language.

Abstract This study provides a critical-pragmatic analysis of fallacious argumentation in the February 28, 2025 Oval Office discourse between U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The encounter reveals how fallacies function not merely as reasoning flaws, but as strategic linguistic tools for discursive domination. Drawing on Walton’s pragmatic theory of fallacy, the pragma-dialectical model, and CDA, the research examines how ad hominem attacks, straw man arguments, false dilemmas, and appeals to emotion are employed to assert control, constrain responses, and construct ideological binaries. The study adopts a qualitative-critical approach. It analyzes a transcribed ten-minute segment of the meeting using speech act theory, Gricean implicature, and CDA principles. The findings demonstrate that Trump and Vance deploy fallacious reasoning to construct conversational contexts and coerce Zelenskyy into performative compliance. In contrast, Zelenskyy uses hedging, politeness, and discursive mitigation as resistance strategies to preserve face and diplomatic balance. The analysis shows that fallacies are not rhetorical coincidences, by-products, or incidental occurrences but deliberate speech acts embedded in broader claims to communicative authority, legitimacy, and symbolic power. As such, this study contributes to political linguistics and argumentation theory by illustrating how critical pragmatics can reveal the ideological functions of language in power-imbalanced political dialogues.

Abstract Translators have highlighted, in the course of the last decades, the challenge of transferring culturally bound terms rich in religious and affective sense. Iraqi condolence messages, being almost oversaturated with Islamic philosophy and local tradition, are likely to have an element of divine will, destiny, and social solidarity features lacking for such a statement in English or that need to be drastically reformulated to fit the target culture. The worst issue in this paper is literal translation or misinterpretation of such idioms may cause awkwardness or loss of the desired effect in the message. This paper therefore investigates the nature of translating Iraqi condolence expressions into English and strives to evaluate the effectiveness of such translation in communicating the intended emotional and cultural meaning. The evaluation is conducted against a paradigm based on modern translation quality model, which takes into account both the linguistic correspondence and the pragmatic appropriateness. In doing so, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of the intersection between language, culture, and emotion in translation. Five Iraqi condolence expressions are selected to be translated by five translators to see how to what extent good quality of their translation is achieved in the TL.

Abstract This study investigates how color terminology in the Holy Qur’an is translated from Arabic into English and Kurdish, addressing a notable gap in comparative cross-cultural translation research. The study aims to identify the semantic and communicative translation procedures applied, and to examine how figurative and symbolic meanings shift across the two target languages. A qualitative analytical approach was employed, analyzing 25 Qur’anic verses that contain 51 instances of color terms. Comparative analysis of two translations revealed that 55% of the examples employed semantic translation, while 45% relied on communicative translation, with the Kurdish translation demonstrating a higher degree of cultural adaptation. The findings suggest that translating Qur’anic color terminology requires balancing universal literal meanings with culturally embedded symbolic associations. The study concludes that accurate rendering of color terms in the Qur’an demands methodological precision and careful consideration of both linguistic and cultural contexts.

Abstract At the end of the nineteenth century, Henrik Ibsen, the major Norwegian playwright and ‘the father of prose drama’, challenged the conventions of bourgeois society by exposing the hidden illnesses of its institutions. His play A Doll’s House exposes the hidden moral “illnesses” of nineteenth-century patriarchal society by intertwining hereditary disease with social corruption. This study argues that the play uses the metaphor of hereditary illness not to condemn women but to reveal how patriarchy pathologises them. While Dr Rank’s inherited tuberculosis provokes sympathy and Krogstad’s moral weakness is framed as socially conditioned, Nora is judged far more harshly: her supposed “inheritance” of her father’s flaws is treated as proof of inherent female corruption. Drawing on feminist theory, this study argues that such framing reflects a gendered double standard in which men’s faults are medicalised, whereas women’s independence is cast as moral danger. Nora’s final rejection of the “doll” identity eventually unmasks patriarchy, not women, as the true hereditary disease. Through this metaphor, Ibsen presents the social construction of femininity and the oppressive structures that define women as inherently flawed.

Abstract This paper examines the impact of translators’ educational, cultural, and theological backgrounds on rendering Qur’anic rhetoric into English. These is a gap in religious studies (Quranic studies) regarding the effect of translator’s educations backgrounds on rendering Quranic rhetoric into English. However, lexical differences among translators are well conducted, the area in which translator's educational merits choices has not been sufficiently investigated. Focusing on key terms such as nafs (soul) and ruh (spirit), as well as verses addressing the People of the Household (Ahl al-Bayt), it employs qualitative comparative textual analysis across multiple translations. Findings show that classical and religiously trained translators prioritize doctrinal fidelity and literal accuracy, while modernist or philosophical translators favor conceptual clarity, ethical guidance, and universality. Contemporary interpreters often balance readability with moral and rhetorical nuance. The study demonstrates that translation is an interpretive act, where lexical choice, explanatory notes, and stylistic decisions are deeply shaped by the translator’s socio-cultural and educational context. Understanding these backgrounds is crucial for interpreting variations in meaning, rhetorical effect, and audience's reception in English Qur'an translations.

Abstract This research examines how artificial intelligence translation systems deal with diglossic language in Iraqi courtroom discourse. Iraqi courtrooms commonly involve a mixture of Modern Standard Arabic and Iraqi Colloquial Arabic, which creates serious challenges for machine translation systems. The study compares the performance of ChatGPT and Microsoft Translator (MST) in translating 30 instances of authentic Iraqi courtroom dialogues collected from publicly available trial videos on YouTube. The data were manually transcribed and analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods, with special focus on diglossic shifts and pragmatic meaning. The results show that ChatGPT achieved higher accuracy in interpreting diglossic shifts, correctly identifying about seventy three percent, while MST achieved about sixty seven percent. However, both systems failed to provide fully reliable sentence level translations suitable for legal use. The findings confirm that current AI translation tools cannot be safely used independently in courtroom settings and must be supported by human translators to avoid serious legal misunderstandings.

Abstract Time perception constitutes a central thematic concern in Anthony Neilson's The Wonderful World of Dissocia (2004), a play that follows Lisa as her psychological condition occurs between the realities of the external world and the magical realm of Dissocia. This study examines the dynamics of time perception by contrasting measured, or mechanical time with experienced, or psychological one. It aims to identify Henri Bergson's philosophical concept of "duration" as a framework for analyzing how the protagonist’s subjective consciousness affects the main character's view of time and how she experiences duration in her mind through recollecting the past. It explores that true time cannot be spatially limited within a fixed sequence of measured moments, but it is a qualitative, diverse, and rooted in inner existence. The play dramatically emphasizes that subjective perception of time is more experiential than measurable by presenting a character who is in a state of internal duality. Bergson's duration concludes that Neilson's play discloses those two opposing temporal modes of being rather than oneiric and realistic ones.

Abstract This research conducts a Critical Discourse Analysis on Alina Habba’s speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention using van Dijk’s framework of “Discourse Analysis as Ideology”. Three levels, discourse, cognition, and society, are adopted in the process of analysis. The analysis at the discourse level examines syntax, rhetorical devices, semantics, schematic framework, pragmatics, and dialogical interaction in Habba’s speech to reveal how she communicates the ideological messages that reflect the Republican Party's policy. The cognitive level investigates how Habba’s personal mental representations—shaped by experiences, social identity, and political affiliation—reflect broader group-based ideologies of the Republican Party. This includes an analysis of the beliefs and knowledge structures that underlie her discourse and how these contribute to shared social cognition. At the social level, the study situates the speech within its broader sociopolitical context to reveal how ideology, power, and dominance are reproduced through political discourse. It explores how Habba’s discourse reinforces in-group identity and legitimises partisan worldviews while marginalising opposing perspectives. The analysis concludes that Habba’s speech functions as a powerful discursive act of ideological reproduction, strategically mobilising language to influence public cognition and contribute to the maintenance of sociopolitical power structures.

Abstract This research provides a critical analysis of Richard Nixon’s Watergate speeches through Fairclough’s (1995) Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework, highlighting how language functions as a means of sustaining political power and legitimacy during times of crisis. The central problem addressed in this research concerns how Nixon’s discourse constructs and controls agency, accountability, and public perception through linguistic and rhetorical strategies. Specifically, the study aims to identify how ergative verbs, passive constructions, and modality serve to shape meanings of blame, responsibility, and authority; to explore the discursive strategies through which Nixon negotiates self-legitimation; and to analyze how these linguistic patterns reflect and reproduce broader ideological and power relations between the presidency and the public. It is hypothesized that Nixon’s use of passives and ergative verbs obscures personal agency, while his moral appeals and references to national duty enhance credibility and deflect blame. These findings reveal how political discourse operates as a mechanism of power, ideology, and persuasion in maintaining institutional legitimacy. This study focuses on fifteen selected excerpts from Richard M. Nixon. A qualitative form of analysis is adopted in this study.

Abstract This study explores the aesthetics of multidirectional memory and mnemonic devices in Anglophone poetry, particularly in Agha Shahid Ali's collection "Rooms Are Never Finished" and related poems. Drawing on Michael Rothberg's theory of multidirectional memory, which posits that collective memories of different histories of suffering, grief, and loss can coexist and interact rather than compete, the study suggested that Ali uses poetry as a site for negotiating overlapping memories. The study argues that memory in Ali's poetry functions as a dynamic, relational process rather than a static or singular narrative. Through close readings of selected poems, the study demonstrates how Ali employs a range of mnemonic devices, including repetition, intertextual allusion, and sensory imagery that serve as mechanisms for remembering and reshaping personal and collective histories. Also, the study emphasizes the ghazal form's role in showcasing fragmentation, autonomy, and continuity in memory.

Abstract This study aims to gather teachers' perspectives on summer training. To achieve the aim of the study, a questionnaire tool has been developed to investigate the attitudes of the teachers who are experienced in teaching. Therefore, sample selected are from the male and female teacher’s in-service, they are (23) from primary and preparatory schools. The questionnaire is used to survey teachers and seek their points of view and their experience with summer training. The study reveals that the majority of teachers have positive attitudes towards summer training. Thus, the teachers believe that these pieces of training improve the teacher's capacity, interpersonal skills, mindfulness, and performance. However, the teachers request more support and training to help them develop their professional and educational capacity. The study concluded with recommendations for further studies to investigate the relevant institutions to seek their concerns about extra and continuous training for the teachers in service.