The relationship between expression and meaning in the context of ʿAmil and Qarīna theories

This study aims to explore the relationship between expression (lafz) and meaning (ma'nā) within the framework of the theories of ʿāmil (governance) and qarīna (contextual indicator). In addition, the lafz–ma'nā relationship is examined through the lens of traditional linguistic sciences such as syntax (naḥw), uṣūl al-naḥw (the principles of syntax), logic, and rhetoric (balāgha), highlighting the distinctive approaches each discipline offers. Subsequently, modern theoretical approaches to this relationship are addressed, focusing on pragmatics, semantics, and hermeneutics. Within the field of syntax, functional grammar provides the syntactic basis for transitioning from expression to meaning. The notion of polysemy (mushtarak lafẓ) discussed in uṣūl al-naḥw demonstrates the existence of multiple expressions for a single meaning. The logical sciences classify the types of signification (dalāla), offering a systematic understanding of the lafz–ma'nā relationship. Rhetoric, particularly the science of bayān, examines the diverse and effective means through which meanings are conveyed via expressions. The ʿāmil theory asserts that during communication, various linguistic and semantic factors determine the grammatical roles of expressions. However, the modern linguist Tammām Ḥassān contends that ʿāmils and iʿrāb signs alone are insufficient to convey meaning. Through his theory of qarāʾin (contextual indicators), he argues that the cooperation of multiple linguistic and non-linguistic clues (taẓāfur al-qarāʾin) is necessary for accurate meaning determination. Pragmatics posits that meaning is not solely embedded in words or grammatical structures, and therefore investigates areas beyond the scope of grammar and semantics. Semantics addresses all elements that pertain to theories of meaning, while hermeneutics, as the science of interpretation, maintains that meaning is never singular or absolute, and that every meaning necessarily entails an interpretation. This study seeks to trace the historical and theoretical development of the lafz–ma'nā relationship from the classical to the modern era by identifying intersections and shared domains across the aforementioned disciplines and theories.