Semantic Relationships in "Al-Ubab Al-Zakhir wa Al-Lubab Al-Fakhir" Lexicon by Al-Saghani (d . 650 AH)

Abstract

This research examines the semantic relationships between signifiers and meanings within the Arabic linguistic heritage, taking the lexicon "Al-Ubab Al-Zakhir" by Al-Saghani as a field for practical application . The significance of the study lies in monitoring how Al-Saghani employed phenomena such as synonymy, polysemy, contronymy (Al-Addad), and semantic opposition as tools to clarify speech and refine its significations away from ambiguity . The study reveals the flexibility of the Arabic language and its capacity to accommodate multiple meanings; the researcher tracked Al-Saghani’s methodology in interpreting words through similarity via synonymy, or through differentiation via opposition, relying frequently on context and Quranic evidence to determine the precise semantic intent . Furthermore, the study addresses the positions of both ancient and modern scholars regarding these phenomena, confirming that "Al-Ubab Al-Zakhir" was not merely a repository for vocabulary but rather a semantic laboratory in which Al-Saghani proved that polysemy or contronymy does not lead to confusion as long as the context is capable of clarifying the meaning .