Nominal and Verbal Sentences in Arabic: A Comparative Study in the Light of Selected Texts

Abstract

This study re-examines the traditional classification of Arabic sentences into nominal and verbal sentences by moving beyond the formal criterion based solely on sentence-initial position. It seeks to uncover the syntactic, semantic, temporal, and pragmatic dimensions governing the use of each sentence type in Arabic discourse. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical comparative approach, supplemented by quantitative analysis, to examine selected texts drawn from the Holy Qur'an (Surat Al-Rahman), the Prophetic Sunnah (Sahih al-Bukhari), classical Arabic poetry (the Mu'allaqah of Imru' al-Qays), and classical Arabic prose (the sermon of Quss ibn Sa'idah). The objective is to identify the functional and contextual criteria underlying the selection of nominal or verbal sentence structures.

The findings demonstrate that the traditional classification of Arabic sentences, based primarily on sentence-initial form, is insufficient to account for the distinctions between nominal and verbal constructions. Instead, context, communicative situation, rhetorical purpose, and discourse function emerge as the principal factors determining the choice of sentence structure. The study further reveals that nominal sentences generally convey stability, permanence, and the assertion of established facts, whereas verbal sentences are more closely associated with dynamism, renewal, and the representation of events and actions. Nevertheless, contextual factors remain decisive in determining the ultimate interpretation of meaning. The study concludes by advocating an integrated functional perspective that combines syntactic analysis with semantic and pragmatic approaches, thereby providing a more comprehensive understanding of the structure and communicative functions of Arabic sentences across diverse textual genres.