STRUCTURAL AND SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF ABU HILOL AL-ASKARI'S WORK الفروق اللغوية "AL-FURŪQ AL-LUGHAVIYYAH"

Abstract

A dictionary is a list of words arranged in a specific order, providing explanations of their literal and figurative meanings, as well as their usage in various contexts from a lexical and semantic perspective. For language learners, the use of a dictionary is an essential lexicographical tool, as expanding one’s lexical repertoire is closely tied to their cultural and social environment. Abu Hilal al-‘Askari's "al-Furūq al-Lughawiyyah" serves as a significant scholarly resource in analyzing the subtle semantic differences between synonymous units. This dictionary aids in identifying ambiguous and polysemous words in the Arabic language, analyzing their synonymous variants, and selecting appropriate lexical combinations.

This scholarly article is dedicated to analyzing the methodological foundations employed in Abu Hilal al-‘Askari's work "al-Furūq al-Lughawiyyah." It examines the structure of the dictionary, the system of semantic explanations, and the methods of classification of meanings from a lexicological perspective. The dictionary serves as an important lexicographical tool in translation processes, academic research, the study of ancient Arabic texts, and the development of terminology. The article provides a detailed account of the history of the dictionary’s creation, its content, lexical style, and main objectives. Additionally, the advantages, potential uses, and some shortcomings of the dictionary are also discussed from a linguistic point of view.