Synonymy in Language — Through the Views of Sibawayh and Some Contemporaries —

Abstract

Synonymy is considered one of the linguistic issues that has attracted the attention of scholars, both classical and modern, due to its significant impact on understanding lexical meaning and interpreting texts, especially literary and religious texts. Synonymy refers to the occurrence of multiple words denoting a single meaning or closely related meanings, which raises fundamental questions about the nature of the relationship between word and meaning, and about the limits of semantic equivalence between words within the same language. Scholars have differed in their views on synonymy: some affirm its existence, arguing that the Arabic language abounds in different words that convey the same meaning, while others deny it, maintaining that each word possesses a distinct semantic nuance and a specific context of use that distinguishes it from others, even if the apparent meaning seems identical. Consequently, in-depth studies have emerged addressing synonymy from the perspectives of lexicography, grammar, rhetoric, and semantics, and the discussion has extended to modern linguistic studies. This research aims to shed light on the concept of synonymy in the Arabic language, clarify its origins, present scholars’ positions on it, and examine its effect on text interpretation. It also draws on examples from linguistic heritage and the Holy Qur’an, seeking to determine the boundaries between absolute (true) synonymy and relative synonymy, in order to arrive at a balanced scholarly view of this linguistic phenomenon.