Arabic: An Essential Grammar

12.3 The semantic relation between the two constituents of the




id

̇

a ̄fah construction is not, however, always that of possessed/property

+ possessor or item + the entity to which the item belongs.

(a) In the following example the relation is that of item and material:

Note: You can also use the preposition ِم ْن min to express the material,

e.g.

(b) In the following example the relation is that between part and

whole (partitive attribute):

(c) In the following cases, which are ambiguous, the relation is that of

item and contents or item and purpose/material:

Indefinite form Definite form

َأْلـ ُم َضا ُف َأْلـ ُم َضا ُف ِإَل ْي ِه ِإَل ْي ِهَأْلـ ُم َضا ُف َأْلـ ُم َضا ُف

Annexer Annexed Annexer Annexed

material item material item

َخ َش ٍب َبا ُب ب ْلـ َخ َش ِبَبا ُ

ba ̄bu h

̆

asˇabin ba ̄bu l-h

̆

asˇabi

a wooden door the wooden door

a door of wood the door of wood

َبا ٌب ِم ْن َخ َش ٍب َأْل َبا ُب ِم ْن َخ َش ٍب

ba ̄bun min h

̆

asˇabin

al-ba ̄bu min h

̆

asˇabin

a door (made) of wood the door (made) of wood

A door is (made) of wood. The door is (made) of wood.

Indefinite form Definite form

َأْلـ ُم َضا ُف َأْلـ ُم َضا ُف ِإَل ْي ِه ِإَل ْي ِهَأْلـ ُم َضا ُف َأْلـ ُم َضا ُف

Annexer Annexed Annexer Annexed

whole part whole part

ُخ ْب ٍز ِق ْط َع ُة ْلـ ُخ ْب ِزةِق ْط َع ُ

qit

̇



atu h

̆

ubzin qit

̇



atu l-h

̆

ubzi

a piece of bread the piece of (the) bread

62

Id

̇

a ̄fah

construc-

tion, the

five nouns