LessonsDefining Majāz: Conditions, Indication, and Classification by ConventionQuiz

When a word is used figuratively, the original sense supplies a starting point; context helps the audience arrive at an intended sense. The semantic relation (ʿalāqah) licenses this move. Not all relations are likeness; the following section will distinguish types according to their underlying relation.

Examples:
A “lion” for a courageous person — similarity in bravery.
A place-name used to signify its inhabitants — potentially a spatial relationship in an appropriate context.

Do not confuse the relation with the contextual indicator: the relation makes the transfer intelligible, while the indicator helps identify the intended meaning.

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The semantic relationship is a route, not decoration

Defining Majāz: Conditions, Indication, and Classification by Convention

When a word is used figuratively, the original sense supplies a starting point; context helps the audience arrive at an intended sense. The semantic relation (ʿalāqah) licenses this move. Not all relations are likeness; the following section will distinguish types according to their underlying relation.

Examples:
A “lion” for a courageous person — similarity in bravery.
A place-name used to signify its inhabitants — potentially a spatial relationship in an appropriate context.

Do not confuse the relation with the contextual indicator: the relation makes the transfer intelligible, while the indicator helps identify the intended meaning.