LessonsFronting the Subject: Restriction, Reinforcement and the al-Jurjani–al-Sakkaki DebateQuiz

Reinforcement strengthens the attribution of a judgment; restriction narrows or contrasts that judgment against an alternative. They may coincide, but reinforcement does not always negate other possibilities, and fronting is not the sole cause of every restrictive meaning.

The distinctions involving grammatical and semantic agency, fronted indefinites, and overt pronouns are now in place. The following section moves to additional forms involving «كل», negation and changes in the focus of predication, showing how another lexical element can alter the effect of fronting.

Opening interactive controls...

The distinction needed for the continuing discussion

Fronting the Subject: Restriction, Reinforcement and the al-Jurjani–al-Sakkaki Debate

Reinforcement strengthens the attribution of a judgment; restriction narrows or contrasts that judgment against an alternative. They may coincide, but reinforcement does not always negate other possibilities, and fronting is not the sole cause of every restrictive meaning.

The distinctions involving grammatical and semantic agency, fronted indefinites, and overt pronouns are now in place. The following section moves to additional forms involving «كل», negation and changes in the focus of predication, showing how another lexical element can alter the effect of fronting.