The aim of the presentations is to introduce and shed light on the historical context and salient features of Arabic theories of meaning.

The seminar (in Arabic), on 27 May (3-5pm), will be dedicated to the theory of the inimitability of the Qur’an as a theory of language and communication. We shall look at how exegetes, linguists and theologians in the period between the 8^th and 11^th century contributed to establishing a methodology based on grammatical and theological foundations. We will explore the main features of this project systematized by Abd al-Qādir al-Jurjānī (d. 1079), especially in his two monumental works: Dalāʾil al-iʿjāz (i.e. The Arguments of Inimitability) and Asrār al-balāgha (i.e. The Secrets of Eloquence).

The lecture (in English), on 30 May (10am-1pm), will focus on the main features of classical Arabic theories of meaning. The history of their reception and their significance today will be examined. We will engage in a comparative study of classical Arabic conceptualisations of meaning and recent linguistic conceptualisations based on the Saussurian definition of linguistic systems.

For further information, please contact Dr. Islam Dayeh (islamdayeh@zedat.fu-berlin.de).

Dr. Houcine SOUDANI, PhD in Linguistics and Arabic literature, is currently teaching Linguistics at the High Institute of Human Sciences in Tunis and a member of the research group “Discourse Analysis”. His Diplôme d'études approfondies was on “The Influence of Ferdinand de Saussure on Arabic Linguistic Research”. His PhD was devoted to “Linguistic Triggers of Connotation”. Dr. Soudani has publications in Arabic and French dealing with Arabic linguistic theories as well as relations between Arabic and other linguistic theories. He has participated in several international conferences in Tunis, France and the United Kingdom.