Iv - University of Salford Institutional Repository

Iv - University of Salford Institutional Repository Iv - University of Salford Institutional Repository

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assume an altogether different pattern, ie. a subject/predicate pattern resulting in the meaning priority being given to the subject. The verb/subject relationship requires that the subject be marked. The subject marker, in this particular instance, is indicated by a double 'ci:amma' placed on the final letter of the subject. The 'dlamma' (,) is a graphic sign designating a sound similar to the English shortened back vowel sound represented by the letter 'u' in the IPA. The subject marker is retained whether the agent occurs initially or immediately after the verb. The object which is the recipient of the action or, to be more accurate, which is being acted upon, immediately follows the subject. Like the subject, and again in this particular utterance, the object is marked by a double 'fatha' (-), a graphic sign placed on the final letter of the object designating a sound similar to the English front vowel sound represented by the symbol in the IPA. If the subject and object change places, the subject/object relationship will be reversed, to the detriment of the meaning of the entire utterance. Far distanced from the initial position of the verb, the adverbial phrase, which qualifies the verb, occurs at the extreme end of the utterance. The adverbial phrase, in this particular example, consists of two distinct word classes: preposition and noun. The relationship between them is grammatically a prepositional one, but syntactically they function as a verb-qualifier. If the adverbial phrase was placed in initial position, the sequential arrangement of the remaining words would still be retained. The only change would be a semantic one, with the focus being shifted to the extent of action in relation to the 136

object. If, in English, the adverb was placed in initial position the order of the sentence would have to be re-arranged, particularly with the insertion of the auxiliary 'did' before the finite verb 'hit' which would, in this case, assume its present tense form though orthographically both present and past tense forms are identical. If we re-arrange the lexical sequence of the lexemes in the above Arabic sentence to fit in the subject/predicate pattern, the grammatical relationships holding between the various lexemes will still retain their logicality. Moreover, the Arabic subject/predicate pattern will be identical to the English 'subject + verb + object + • adverb' pattern. The only difference will be one of parsing, with the sub-sentence 'hit Amr hard'56t-..11 functioning as a full-fledged sentence within the subject/predicate construction. If we re-arrange the lexemes of the English sentence in the theme-rheme context, the grammatical relationships will cease to be logical. Theme states the subject of discourse, which is normally referred to, ,or • logically consequential upon, the previous utterance, Rheme is the fresh element, the lexical predicate, which offers information about the theme. Theme and rheme are sometimes referred to as 'topic and comment'. The identification of theme and rheme, topic and comment, or subject and predicate will depend on a wider context. Thus the sentence: 'Zayd hit Amr hard' is a logical sequence which might be the basis for a periphrase such as: 'Amr gave Zayd the opportunity to hit him hard', in which 'Amr' is lexically the 137

assume an altogether different pattern, ie. a subject/predicate<br />

pattern resulting in the meaning priority being given to the<br />

subject. The verb/subject relationship requires that the subject<br />

be marked. The subject marker, in this particular instance, is<br />

indicated by a double 'ci:amma' placed on the final letter <strong>of</strong> the<br />

subject. The 'dlamma' (,) is a graphic sign designating a sound<br />

similar to the English shortened back vowel sound represented by<br />

the letter 'u' in the IPA. The subject marker is retained whether<br />

the agent occurs initially or immediately after the verb. The<br />

object which is the recipient <strong>of</strong> the action or, to be more<br />

accurate, which is being acted upon, immediately follows the<br />

subject. Like the subject, and again in this particular utterance,<br />

the object is marked by a double 'fatha' (-), a graphic sign placed<br />

on the final letter <strong>of</strong> the object designating a sound similar to<br />

the English front vowel sound represented by the symbol in the<br />

IPA. If the subject and object change places, the subject/object<br />

relationship will be reversed, to the detriment <strong>of</strong> the meaning <strong>of</strong><br />

the entire utterance. Far distanced from the initial position <strong>of</strong><br />

the verb, the adverbial phrase, which qualifies the verb, occurs at<br />

the extreme end <strong>of</strong> the utterance. The adverbial phrase, in this<br />

particular example, consists <strong>of</strong> two distinct word classes:<br />

preposition and noun. The relationship between them is<br />

grammatically a prepositional one, but syntactically they function<br />

as a verb-qualifier. If the adverbial phrase was placed in initial<br />

position, the sequential arrangement <strong>of</strong> the remaining words would<br />

still be retained. The only change would be a semantic one, with<br />

the focus being shifted to the extent <strong>of</strong> action in relation to the<br />

136

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