السلام عليكم أهل العربية!
So far we have been discussing a group of nouns – 7 to be precise – which cannot take case endings like normal nouns can from Table 1; and therefore are called indeclinable (مبني). Their case endings remain looking the same and they are only changing their state internally based on governing elements around them. This is why when classifying the case of indeclinable nouns we do not say that it is marfoo, mansoob or majroor; rather, we say that it takes the place of raf, nasb or jarr. Below is just a recap of the case endings that declinable (معرب) nouns can take; they have no significance for مبني nouns.
Table 1: Case endings for declinable nouns
So far we have looked at 2 out of the 7 مبني nouns (personal pronouns – الضَّمائر and demonstrative pronouns – إِسم الإِشارة). This post focuses on the third category of مبنيnouns; known as ‘relative pronouns’ – الإسْم المَوْصُوْل.
So what are relative pronouns?
In the English Language the main relative pronouns are: who, whom, whose, which and that. Their main function is to link a relative clause to a preceding noun. Similarly, in Arabic the relative pronoun – الإسْم المَوْصُوْل is a noun that something is connected to. The roots و ص ل (from موصول) has an array of meanings; one of which is ‘to connect’. As you have noticed, this particular إسم is classified as one of the 7 مَبْني nouns (refer to this post for a refresher on this). There are two types of الإسْم المَوْصُوْل (depicted in table 2 below): (1) those pronouns which are specific to gender (masculine, feminine) and number (singular, dual, plural); and (2) those pronouns which are general and therefore are not specific in gender and number. From the table below you’ll see that the relative pronouns used for general are ما and من; the former more commonly used to refer to a non-intelligent being and the latter more commonly used for intelligent beings. You’ll also see that for the specific pronouns there are individual pronouns for each gender and number – and this is something that you would benefit from memorising.
Table 2: Relative pronouns tree
Table 3: Specific relative pronouns chart
How do you use relative pronouns in a sentence?
The way this noun works is that it needs a sentence to follow after it in order to form a complete meaning. The sentence which follows the إِسْم المَوْصُوْل is called a الجملة الصلة or صلةُ المَوْصُوْل (both mean the same thing). The الجملة الصلة always contains a ضَمِيْر (personal pronoun) that connects back to the إِسْم المَوْصُوْل. The ضَمِيْر in the الجملة الصلة is called the رابِط (thing which ties) back to the إِسْم المَوْصُوْل.
Rules of using the إِسْم المَوْصُوْل are therefore the following:
(1) The إِسْم المَوْصُوْل is مَبْنِيْ but can be in the place of case
(2) The إِسْم المَوْصُوْل has to have a sentence (الجملة الصلة) connected to it in order to depict complete meaning.
(3) The ضَمِيْر in the الجملة الصلة has to match in gender and number and connect back to the إِسْم المَوْصُوْل.
Note that in Arabic if a relative pronoun is referring back to a noun that is an object a pronoun suffix must therefore be added in the relative sentence.You cannot use a relative pronoun to refer back to an indefinite subject. They are only used to refer to a definite noun.The relative pronoun makes the sentence after it definite.
Examples:
The next example combines a few key grammar concepts:
Sometimes the personal pronoun الضمير which ties back to the relative pronoun إِسْم المَوْصُوْل is omitted but still intended. This usually happens when the إِسْم المَوْصُوْل is general but can also happen when its specific also, for example:
أُذْكُرُوْا نِعْمَتِيْ التي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ – ‘Remember my blessings which I bestowed upon you all’ – (Quran: Surah Baqarah).
Here the personal pronoun الضمير which refers back to the object ‘my blessings – نِعْمَتِيْ’ which would have been found at the end of ‘I bestowed – أَنْعَمْتُ ‘ has been omitted.
That’s all for now
Ma’salaam
Logicalwayfarer 