LessonsDefining Literal Usage: Linguistic Assignment and Speech ConventionQuiz

الصَّلَاةُ
Ritual prayer; lexically the term is also associated with supplication.

In legal discourse, “perform ṣalāh” normally invokes the established religious practice. A use of the same word meaning supplication belongs to a different lexical context, and its exact classification depends on the discourse.

The crucial difference is that a specialized conventional meaning need not be a fresh metaphor every time it occurs. A meaning can become established within a convention; a temporary figurative use works differently, through a relevant relation and contextual indication.

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How the case of ṣalāh illustrates different conventions

Defining Literal Usage: Linguistic Assignment and Speech Convention

الصَّلَاةُ
Ritual prayer; lexically the term is also associated with supplication.

In legal discourse, “perform ṣalāh” normally invokes the established religious practice. A use of the same word meaning supplication belongs to a different lexical context, and its exact classification depends on the discourse.

The crucial difference is that a specialized conventional meaning need not be a fresh metaphor every time it occurs. A meaning can become established within a convention; a temporary figurative use works differently, through a relevant relation and contextual indication.