الحروف الهوامل في كتاب " معاني الحروف" للرماني (دراسة دلالية)

Abstract

    Letters constitute one of the three major parts of the Arabic language which involve various functions and meanings. The researcher needs to identify these functions and employ them in proportion to syntactical and morphological aspects. Grammarians have divided letters into two main sections of operating and non-operating letters, with the latter encompassing various functions and beauties in a literary work. These are the letters syntacticians and rhetoricians have used in their own glossaries, suggesting that these letters have various functions. Sources to understand these letters and their relevant functions are the books and researches syntacticians and rhetoricians have compiled on the letters.  It is evident that the Arabic syntax has underwent major developments over time and syntacticians have conducted various and independent researches for each of the syntactic and morphological subjects. Included in these subjects is the category of letters which has gained the attention of scholars such as Romani, the famous syntactician of the 10^th century who wrote a valuable book in this area, titled Ma’ani Al-Horouf (which translates to meaning of the letters). The present article concerns this work to investigates the functions of non-operating letters and their relevant aesthetics. This is because this work serves as a credible source for understanding letters. Thus, this study categorizes and analyses the functions. This research also attaches much importance to non-operating letters as Romani has suggested, investigating the major functions of non-operating letters, e.g., syntactical, morphological and rhetoric functions.