Shahab al-Din Al-Khafaji's Attitude on Lexical Generation: The Lexical balance inShifaa al-Ghaleel Model

Abstract

Abstract: This study looks at Al Khafaji'sAttitude in relation to the changes that have taken place in the Arabic language in the so-called ' Generation period' through his work:'Shifaa al-Ghaleelfiimaafiikalaami al-9arab mina al-Dakheel." In this work, the author has reserved a chapter to the newly created lexis, which was to be found scattered in different sources. The study shows why this work was undertaken, what circumstances led to its writing, and the resources from which he drew this multi-level lexical database. The study looks into the characteristics that distinguish Al Khafaji's approach to neologisms by analyzing the mechanics of lexical generation.

The study also gives evidence that Al Khafaji'sAttitude on this new lexicon is that it reflects a natural evolution in the history of this language, which reflects how language interacts with society. This in turn shows that the Arabic language is capable of adapting itself to social change. Furthermore, the study shows that Al Khafajiwas not influenced by his predecessors' ways of accounting for lexical generation by referring to poets who used newly created lexis and to contemporary learned figures of his time.

Furthermore, the study shows that Al Khafajiwas not influenced by his predecessors' ways of accounting for lexical generation by his:

Documenting poets who used newly created lexis and learned figures, both of the past and his contemporaries;

Explaining and analyzing the existing links between the old and the new use of lexis at the time;

Generally refraining from expressing value judgements on the novel uses of the Arabic lexis he studied, which shows his distancing himself from theAttitudeof the hardliners on issues of language at the time and his adhering to the view that language is dynamic and that it is subject to change and evolution.