The Relationship Between Lexical and Contextual Meaning in Arabic Texts: An Applied Semantic Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59689/incare.v6i5.1318Keywords:
Lexical Meaning, Contextual Meaning, Arabic Texts, Applied SemanticsAbstract
Semantic studies play an essential role in uncovering linguistic meaning, both at the level of individual words and broader discourse. This article examines the relationship between lexical meaning and contextual meaning in Arabic texts through an applied semantic approach. Lexical meaning is understood as the basic meaning recorded in dictionaries, while contextual meaning refers to the meaning that emerges according to situational, cultural, and discourse contexts. This research employs a qualitative descriptive method by analyzing selected Arabic texts from both classical and modern sources using purposive sampling. The data were analyzed through several stages, including the identification of key lexical items, contextual mapping within sentences and discourse, and semantic interpretation. The findings indicate that differences in social, cultural, and discursive contexts frequently influence the shift from lexical meaning to more specific contextual meanings, sometimes even diverging from the dictionary definition. The relationship between lexical and contextual meanings is not merely linear but interactive: lexical meaning functions as the foundational basis for interpretation, while context provides the actual meaning that aligns with communicative intentions. These findings highlight that understanding Arabic texts requires an integrated analysis of lexical and contextual meanings in order to capture the full message of the language. This study is expected to contribute to the development of Arabic semantic studies, particularly in the fields of language learning, Qur’anic interpretation, and translation studies.
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