Literal expressionConnecting associationIntended meaning
Ṭawīl al-nijādLong strap conventionally accompanies heightTall stature
Jabān al-kalbDog habituated to many visitorsGenerosity
Mahzūl al-faṣīlMilk given to guests rather than calfGenerosity
Such associations are not self-evident in every culture. Kināyah achieves its rhetorical purpose when the listener can connect the stated sign to the intended quality. An ancient social convention may therefore need explanation for a modern learner.
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Kināyah: Definition, Implication, Literal Meaning, and Its Difference from Majāz
Literal expressionConnecting associationIntended meaning
Ṭawīl al-nijādLong strap conventionally accompanies heightTall stature
Jabān al-kalbDog habituated to many visitorsGenerosity
Mahzūl al-faṣīlMilk given to guests rather than calfGenerosity
Such associations are not self-evident in every culture. Kināyah achieves its rhetorical purpose when the listener can connect the stated sign to the intended quality. An ancient social convention may therefore need explanation for a modern learner.