The Phenomena of Intonation and Paronomasia in the Poetry of al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Ḥajjāj al-Nīlī (D. 391 AH)

Abstract

This research investigates selected phonetic features that significantly shape the reception of literary texts and enhance the clarity of their message. The study focuses on intonation and paronomasia in the poetry of al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Ḥajjāj al-Baghdādī, revealing the poet’s exceptional linguistic mastery. Through deliberate use of the linguistic tools available to him, he was able to convey emotions ranging from joy and sorrow to praise, blame, and reproach, thereby engaging deeply with human sentiment. The findings emphasize that Arabic expresses meaning not only through vocabulary but also through vocal modulation, gestures, and stylistic variation aligned with the speaker’s intent. Furthermore, the richness of Arabic vocabulary surpasses that of other languages, in which even similar words acquire distinct nuances through contextual usage, making context the most reliable guide to meaning.