The Normative Level in Dr. Majid Al-Zamali's Al-Mustadrak ʿalā Tadhkirat al-Kātib: An Analytical Study

Abstract

This study examines the normative linguistic approach adopted by Dr. Majid Al-Zamali in his critical responses to the linguistic judgments of the critic and linguist Asʿad Khalil Dagher in his book Tadhkirat al-Kātib. It explores the concepts of linguistic error and correctness, the criteria employed in formulating linguistic judgments concerning the acceptance or rejection of lexical items and linguistic structures, and scholars' positions regarding these criteria. The study demonstrates that Dr. Al-Zamali adopted a moderate approach, displaying considerable tolerance toward many words and constructions rejected by other critics. This is evident in his methodology, analytical approach, and critical tools, as he extensively investigated authoritative linguistic sources to substantiate disputed usages, consulting Arabic dictionaries, collections of classical poetry, and the language of distinguished authors. He believed in the legitimacy of linguistic expansion and figurative usage, maintaining that language cannot remain static or confined to a particular historical period; rather, it possesses inherent capacities that enable it to evolve and keep pace with developments across successive ages.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54633/2333-025-059-012