Syntactic Optimality vs. Communicative Optimality: The Syntax of Present-Tense Constructions in Classical Arabic

Authors

  • Bayan Ahmad Al-Suhaimat

    Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan
  • Alaualdeen Ahmad Algharibeh

    Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan
  • Zeyad Al-Daher

    Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i9.11022
Received: 12 July 2025 | Revised: 28 July 2025 | Accepted: 12 August 2025 | Published Online: 2 September 2025

Abstract

This study investigates present-tense verbal constructions in Classical Arabic with special focus on the discrepancy between syntactic optimality and communicative optimality. Specifically, this study challenges the traditional view that Arabic is completely rule-governed, drawing on the observation that many documented linguistic usages deviate from prescriptive syntactic constraints. Ibn Hisham al-Anṣari's Mughni al-Labibformed the primary corpus for this study. The focus was on Qur' anic recitations and Prophetic ḥadith; poetic data was excluded to avoid rhythmic and metrical justifications. Adopting Optimality Theory (OT), four types of syntactic deviations were highlighted: substitution of final long inflectional vowels with short vowels in non-jussive contexts, retention of long inflectional vowels in jussive constructions, deletion of indicative/subjunctive inflectional suffixes, and non-canonical subjunctive marking in jussive contexts. Although early Arab syntacticians consider such deviations anomalous, dialectal, or metrical-poetic exceptions, and often reinterpret them to fit established rules, this study argues that these deviant forms, despite violating rigid syntactic rules, still achieve communicative optimality and reflect dialectal or historical variations. Such non-prescriptive usages represent authentic linguistic remainders that can enrich the Arabic syntactic system. It was concluded that Arabic syntactic rules are not inviolable and Arabic syntax is flexible enough to accommodate such usages.

Keywords:

Classical Arabic; Communicative Optimality; Linguistic Remainders; Optimality Theory; Present-Tense Constructions; Syntactic Deviation; Syntactic Optimality

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How to Cite

Al-Suhaimat, B. A., Ahmad Algharibeh, A., & Al-Daher, Z. (2025). Syntactic Optimality vs. Communicative Optimality: The Syntax of Present-Tense Constructions in Classical Arabic. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(9), 185–202. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i9.11022

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 9 (September 2025)

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Article

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Copyright © 2025 Bayan Ahmad Al-Suhaimat, Alaualdeen Ahmad Algharibeh, Zeyad Al-Daher

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