Elementary Arabic Syntax 2

Specificative

118. 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.)

119. 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.)

120. 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.)

121. 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.