LessonsDefining the Subject by a Relative Pronoun: Purposes and Rhetorical ApplicationsQuiz

A relative clause can produce veneration (تعظيم) or awe (تهويل). In the first, it foregrounds a person's stature or merit. In the second, it presents the magnitude or gravity of an event. Both go beyond simple naming by shaping the hearer's response.

Contrasting teaching examples:
«الذي أنقذ الناس من الغرق حاضر» — The one who saved people from drowning is present: respect for a remarkable deed.
«الذي زلزل المدينة وقع ليلاً» — The event that shook the city happened at night: attention to magnitude.

These examples illustrate rhetorical potential. The actual effect depends on audience and context; descriptive detail alone does not dictate a single response.

Opening interactive controls...

Magnification and awe

Defining the Subject by a Relative Pronoun: Purposes and Rhetorical Applications

A relative clause can produce veneration (تعظيم) or awe (تهويل). In the first, it foregrounds a person's stature or merit. In the second, it presents the magnitude or gravity of an event. Both go beyond simple naming by shaping the hearer's response.

Contrasting teaching examples:
«الذي أنقذ الناس من الغرق حاضر» — The one who saved people from drowning is present: respect for a remarkable deed.
«الذي زلزل المدينة وقع ليلاً» — The event that shook the city happened at night: attention to magnitude.

These examples illustrate rhetorical potential. The actual effect depends on audience and context; descriptive detail alone does not dictate a single response.