Arabic: An Essential Grammar

(c) If the second noun (the annexer) is in the definite form, it

causes the whole

id

̇

a ̄fah construction to be definite. If the

second noun is indefinite, then the entire

id

̇

a ̄fah construction is

indefinite.

12.5 The second variant:

id

̇

a ̄fah adjective

The second variant of the

id

̇

a ̄fah construction may also be called




id

̇

a ̄fah adjective, because an adjective is construed with a definite noun

in the genitive case. The noun then expresses something with regard or

respect to which the quality of the adjective obtains (Latin: genetivus

respectus). In Arabic this construction is called ي ِةََّغ ْي ُر ْلـ َح ِقي ِق َأ ِْلإ َضا َف ُة




al-

id

̇

a ̄fatu g ̇ayru l-h

̇

aqı ̄qiyyati, which means improper annexation,

e.g.

12.6 The first adjective in the above examples may take the definite

article ...َأْلــ

al... when a noun in the definite form precedes it, although

this contradicts rule 12.4a mentioned above.

َأْلـ ُم َضا ُف َأْلـ ُم َضا ُف ِإَل ْي ِه

Annexer Annexed

noun adjective

َق ِبي ُح ْلـ َم ْن َظ ِر qabı

• h
  ̇

u l-mand

̄ ̇

ari, one of ugly appearance, bad-looking

ّـ َب ُة ْل َقـْل ِبََطي t

̇

ayyibatu l-qalbi, one (f.) with a good heart

َك ِثي ُر ْلـ َما ِل kat

̄

ı

• ru l-ma ̄li, wealthy man (lit. abundant of wealth)

ة ْل َو ْج ِهَج ِميَل ُ g ̆amı

• latu l-wag ̆hi, one (f.) with a beautiful face,

fair-faced

شـ ْك ِرُّ َج ِزي ُل ل g ̆azı

• lu sˇ-sˇukri, very thankful

ل ْو ِنََّغا ِم ُق لـ g ̇a ̄miqu l-lawni, dark- (deep-)coloured

ل ْل َع ْق ِلَقِلي ُ qalı

• lu l-



aqli, stupid, insane (lit. one with little

intelligence)

ل َسا ِنَّط ِويَل ُة لـَ t

̇

awı

• latu l-lisa ̄ni, a gossip (f.), insolent (lit. one with a

long tongue)

64

Id

̇

a ̄fah

construc-

tion, the

five nouns