The Significance of the Syntactic Attribution in Sibawayh's Thought, a Reading in the Light of Modern Linguistic Theories

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to reveal the state of convergence between the imam of grammar, Sibawayh, and modern linguistic theories on the issue of analyzing syntactic reference, and to shed light on Sibawayh’s thought, and how he realized the importance of the relationship between attributive structure and meaning, in what we can call the equation of (structure and connotation). The benefit of this relationship is based on its ability to convey communicative purpose to recipient.

Methods: In its discussion of the idea it presents, to achieve the goal of the study, the research followed descriptive and analytical approach and attempted to analyze linguistic issues according to this approach and to present opinions using comparative approach between Western linguists and Sibawayh. In order to achieve what the research aimed at.

Results: research revealed that Sibawayh’s approach to semantics does not differ in any way from the approaches of modern linguists. What modern linguists have taken does not stray far from Sibawayh’s contributions and opinions in linguistic thought, especially with regard to the issue of studying contexts, relationships, and mental and verbal clues, and his attention shifted towards the issue of semantic agreement in communicative discourse and opens the door for discussion on this matter.

Conclusion: modern linguistic theories starting from De Saussure and to Chomsky seem almost inseparable from the linguistic thought of Sibawayh. The apparent similarities and differences in linguistic thought between them, particularly in the analysis of attributive structure and its connection to the importance of semantic meaning, which highlight Sibawayh's attention to the significance of structural semantics without neglecting the functional syntactic aspect of the sentence