The Status of Syntactic-Rhetorical Structure of Indirect Object (in the Translation of the Qur'an)

The indirect object is one of the syntactic elements which is apparently simple but in reality impossible. This syntactic element is among the most important syntactic modes and has a special syntactic and semantic rhetoric which has not been much dealt with in syntactic and lingual texts. From the viewpoint of syntactic-semantic rhetoric, the indirect object has specific meanings and concepts, including entirety, comprehensiveness, inclusiveness, intensity, complete proximity, complete and comprehensive substance (taḥṣīl) and actuality (taḥaṣṣul), particularization (ikhtiṣāṣ or takhṣīṣ), emphasis and exaggeration, higher expressiveness, etc. This rhetoric can somehow be found in the old Persian language, too. The rhetoric of indirect object can be more clearly explained by comparing it to some other syntactic modes such as accusative of time and place (maf‘ūlun fīh) and jār u mahrūr (a preposition and the word it governs), and by means of examining the impact of extra letters of preposition on the application of the indirect object. Although many of the accusatives are rooted in indirect objects, the semantic and rhetoric application of indirect object is dependent from other accusatives. Thus, the analysis of syntactic-semantic rhetoric of the indirect object can introduce another perspective of translation potentials to the translators. Dealing with rhetoric aspects in syntax and the meaning of indirect object is a step toward rhetoric or faithful translations.