The Example in Al-Khalil’s Kitab Al-Ayn: A Reading Based on Modern Lexicographical Concepts

Abstract

The lexicographical example is no less important than the definition, even if the latter has dominated researchers' attention. The example serves as the medium that restores a word’s vitality after the definition extracts and abstracts it. Ancient Arab lexicographers employed examples masterfully, yet we observed that studies on dictionary examples have focused on quotations (cited texts) while neglecting forged examples (those composed by the lexicographer) and their variations. This article examines examples in Kitab Al-Ayn by Al-Khalil bin Ahmad Al-Farahidi, applying modern lexicographical concepts to highlight the main types used, illustrate them, and assess their place among newly developed concepts. We adopted an inductive approach, observing recurring patterns in Al-Khalil’s examples and abstracting them to identify overarching categories. These were then theorized based on modern lexicographical studies—particularly Western ones—and exemplified in detail. Among the key findings is the neglect by some Western theorists of the contributions of early Arab lexicographers. Many methods and mechanisms in modern Western lexicography are, in fact, deeply rooted in Kitab Al-Ayn, such as glossed examples, lexical collocations, and neutralization techniques. This necessitates a systematic re-examination of classical Arabic lexicographical methodology, its promotion, and its application in contemporary dictionary-making and language pedagogy for native and non-native speakers alike.