Review Article: The Book of Grammar Meanings: A Central Treatise on Grammar

Abstract

This paper examines one of the most prominent modern works on Arabic grammar, namely Ma'ani al-Nahw (The Meanings of Grammar) by Dr. Fadhil Al-Samarrai. This work has successfully bridged a long-standing gap and addressed key shortcomings by prioritizing the study of grammatical topics through the lens of meaning, aiming to differentiate between stylistic structures that are often presumed to be synonymous. Through his book, Al-Samarrai sought to demonstrate that any change in the structural syntax of a sentence inevitably entails a subtle shift in meaning, thereby transcending the conventional view of grammar and syntax as merely changes in word ending.