Elementary Arabic Syntax 2
Specificative
What is a specificative?
A specificative is a noun in the accusative state which explains the goal of an unclear word that comes before it. For example: إشتریتُ رَطلاً زیتاً (I bought a bucket of oil.)How many types of specificatives are there?
There are two types of specificatives:
• essential specificatives, which clear up an unclear noun, for example: إشتریتُ رَطلاً عسلاً (I bought a bucket of honey.)
• relative specificatves, which clear up an unclear sentence, for example: طابَ التلمیذُ نفساً (The student was clean, himself.)
- How many types of words precede a specificative in the accusative
state?
The words that precede a specificative in the accusative state are:
• words that denote weight, اشتریتُ رطلاً سمناً (I bought a bucket of lard.)
• words that denote volume or weight of grains, اشتریتُ مُدّاً قَمحاً (I bought a mudd[^1] of wheat.)
• Words that denote area, اشتریتُ ذراعاً أرضاً (I bought a *dhirā‛*15 of land.)
• Numbers from 11 to 99, اشتریتُ عشرین کتاباً (I bought 20 books.)
- Is it permissible for a specificative to be in a state other than
the accusative state?
It is permissible to put the specificative of a weight, volume, or area:
• in the genitive case as a compliment to a prefixed noun, اشتریتُ رطلَ سمنٍ (I bought a bucket of lard.)
• in the genitive case with the preposition min, اشتریتُ رطلاً مِن سمنٍ (I bought a bucket of lard.)
[^1]: An ancient form of measurement.