Al-Adab Journal – Plus No.

126 (September) 2018 / 1439

Syntactic and Semantic Analysis
of English and Arabic Objects:
A Contrastive Study

lecturer: Faiza Qanbar Ali

Al-Mustansiriya University.
College of Political Sciences /
Department of International Relations
Email: [email protected]

Abstract :
English and Arabic belong to different language families since they
have different grammar and structures .The main purpose of this paper
is to show similarities and differences between English and Arabic
objects in terms of syntactic and semantic classification. Moreover,
the current paper aims at highlighting the divergences and
convergences that exist between English and Arabic objects from
syntactic and semantic point of view .The paper falls into three
sections: section one sheds some light on basic terms that are of
relevance to the core of the study. Section two deals with the syntactic
and semantic analysis of English objects. Section three deals with the
syntactic and semantic analysis of Arabic objects. The main findings
that this paper has come up with can be summarized as follows : an
object is an entity or participant that undergoes an action done by the
performer of the action. Syntactically speaking, an English object can
be direct , indirect or complement .Semantically speaking , objects can
be affected , recipient, attribute and effected. Syntactically speaking ,
Arabic objects can be cognate , causative ,or concomitant
.Semantically speaking , Arabic objects can come as a receiver ,
agentive or beneficiary.
Keywords: Arabic and English objects , causative , cognate ,
recipient.
Section One: Introduction
1.1The Problem
The main problem of the current paper is that Iraqi EFL learners may
face difficulties in identifying and understanding the main similarities
and differences between English and Arabic objects in terms of
syntactic and semantic classifications.
1.2 Aims of the Study
The study aims contrasting objects in English and Arabic in terms of
syntactic and semantic classifications as well as this paper aims at
highlighting the divergences and convergences that exist between
English and Arabic objects from syntactic and semantic point of view.

1
Al-Adab Journal – Plus No. 126 (September) 2018 / 1439
1.3 Hypothesis
It is hypothesized that contrasting objects in English and Arabic may
raise problems to EFL learners due to the differences in the types of
objects and differences in language structure .
1.4 Limits of the Study
This study is limited to the English and Arabic objects.
1.5 Value of the Study
It is hoped that this study will be of value to those concerned with
grammar , morphology and contrastive studies between English and
Arabic .It is also considered useful for students and textbook writers
of English and Arabic.
1.6 Procedures
In dealing with objects, the following procedures are adopted:
1. Identifying and classifying the types of objects in English and
Arabic .
2. Presenting a contrastive analysis of the English and Arabic objects
by presenting a survey of literature concerning the identification ,
classification and use of English and Arabic objects.
3. Carrying out syntactic and semantic analysis of objects in both
languages.
Section Two: Theoretical Background
2.0 Introduction
The current section sheds light on some of the salient grammatical
terms that are of relevance to the core of the study .These terms
include syntax , types of objects ,semantics and semantic roles.
2.1Syntax
Syntax is the field of linguistics that studies the rules of language
which dictate how different parts of sentences go together. According
to many language theorists “ syntax is the branch of linguistics that
deals with the formation of sentences” (Crystal ,2006: 144).
Syntax refers to the rules that govern the ways in which words
combine to form phrases , clauses and sentences(Yule,1999:212)
Similarly , Brown and Miller (1991:222) state that syntax can be seen
as the governing principle of defining which combinations of
linguistic symbols are deemed to be correctly structured by natural
language speakers.
2.2 Types of Objects
To begin with ,an object is a noun or pronoun that is governed by
a verb or a preposition .There are three types of objects : a direct
object , an indirect object , object and object of a preposition (Finch,
2002: 232)
Ruby (2001: 421) states that objects are those entities which are
acted upon by subjects ,and objects complete the meaning of verbs by

2
Al-Adab Journal – Plus No. 126 (September) 2018 / 1439
receiving action from them. Accordingly , objects can be classified
into three types.
(a) A direct object is a noun , pronoun , or group of words acting as a
noun that b receives the action of a transitive verb .For example ,
We watched TV.
I bought a car.
(b) An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that appears with a direct
object and names the person or thing that something is given to or
done for .For example:
I showed Randy the book.
IO DO
They gave him a present
IO DO
(c) Objectives complement which complete the meaning of the direct
object in a sentence .It is a noun or pronoun that appears with a
direct object and describes or renames it . For example:
The president named him administrator of Nasa.
DO OC
I consider her the best candidate for the job.
DO OC (Ibid :422)
2.3 Semantics
Semantics is the study of relationships between words and how we
construct meanings , shed light on how we experience the world and
how we understand others and ourselves (Saeed,1990: 130)
According to Palmer (1976:1) states “semantics is the technical
term used to refer to study of meaning”
Similarly , Lyons (1995: 122) holds that “semantics is the study of
meaning expressed by elements of any language , characterizable as
a symbolic system .It is the goal of semantics to describe the meaning
of linguistic elements and to study the principles which allow the
assignment of meaning to combinations of these elements.
2.4 Semantic Roles
A semantic role is the underlying relationship that a participant
has with the main verb in a clause.(Thakur,1990:23).For example , if
someone named John purposely hits someone named Bill , then John
is the agent and Bill is the Patient of hitting event. Therefore , the
semantic role of Bill is the same (patient) in both of the following
sentences:
John hit Bill
Bill was hit by John
In both of the above sentences John has the semantic role of
agent.(Ibid :24)

3
Al-Adab Journal – Plus No. 126 (September) 2018 / 1439
Löbner (2002:111) states that semantic roles keep to account for
meaning relations holding between participants and arguments
.Semantic roles can be summarized by the following table:

Role Description Examples

Agent Performs the action John wrote a love
expressed by the verb letter
Theme/patient Undergoes the action The cat eats the egg.
/change/ event
expressed by the verb
Experiencer Experiences a I heard him
perception
Feeling or other state
Instrument An instrument, or a This key opens the
cause , by which door
Locative A location The keys are on the
desk
Goal Goal of a movement Put the keys on the
desk.
Path Path of movement She rode through the
desert
Table (1) Semantic Roles cited from Löbner (2002:111)
Section Three: Syntactic and Semantic Analysis of English
Objects
3.0 Introduction
The present section deals with the syntactic and semantic analysis of
English objects.
3.1 Syntactic Analysis of English Objects
Syntactically speaking, an object ,is a noun phrase or clause with
nominal function normally follows the subject and the verb phrase.
There are four types of objects in English:
(a) A direct object is a noun ,pronoun , or group of words acting as a
noun that receives the action of a transitive verb. For example :
I watch the show until midnight.
To find a direct object in a sentence ,ask whom? Or what? After n
action verb if you find no answer, the verb is intransitive and has no
direct object.
(b) An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that appears with a direct
object and names the person or thing that something is given to or
done for. For example: I gave him the book
“him” is an indirect object that precedes the direct object.
(Ruby,2001:420)
(c) An object complement completes the meaning of the direct object
in a sentence .It occurs ,therefore , only in sentences that already
4
Al-Adab Journal – Plus No. 126 (September) 2018 / 1439
contain a direct object. Object complement is a noun phrase ,an
adjective phrase , or a clause with nominal function, having a co –
referential relation with the subject. For example:
We have proved him wrong
“wrong” is an object of the complement that completes the meaning of
the direct object “him” (Quirk,1973:171)
(d) An object of a preposition is a noun or pronoun that comes after
preposition. For example:
She lives near Brighton (Ibid,163)

3.2 Semantic Analysis of English Objects

Semantically speaking , objects can be considered semantically as
having underlying relationships that a participant has with the main
verb in clause elements.
(a) The most typical function of the direct object is that of the affected
participant ; i.e. a participant (animate or inanimate) .For example:
Many MPs criticized the prime minister
“ the prime minister “ is the affected participant.
Also known as : patient , undergoer since it is affected by an event or
undergoes a process. (Thakur,1984:120)
(b) The most typical function of the indirect object is that of recipient
; i.e.an animate participant being passively implicated by the
happening or state. For example: I have found you a place.
“you” is the recipient who receives or get a place.
(c) The role of the object complement is that of attribute of the object
.For example: They elected him president
“president “ and “ blue” are attributes of the objects “him” and “
the wall”.
(d) Direct object has the role of locative object .For example:
The horse jumped the fence.
(e) A direct object has the role of effected object .For example:
Baird invented television. (Ibid,121)

3.3 Summary:
Despite the fact that the semantic roles of the elements are quite
varied ,there are certain restrictions such as that the object cannot be “
agentive ” or “instrument” ; that a subject cannot be “ effected”; that
an indirect object can have only two functions- those of “ affected”
and “ recipient”. Syntactically speaking ,there are four of object , a
direct object , an indirect object , object complement and object of
object of preposition.
Section Four: Syntactic and Semantic Analysis of Arabic Objects
4.0 Introduction : The current section deals with the syntactic and
semantic analysis of Arabic objects.
5
Al-Adab Journal – Plus No. 126 (September) 2018 / 1439
4.1 Syntactic analysis of Arabic objects
In Arabic there are seven types of objects on syntactic grounds :
they are as follows:
1. The cognate object is a type of object in that it is a way of
intensifying an action by following the verb with its corresponding
verbal noun ( masdar). For example :
They fought bitterly ً ‫قاجلوا قحاالً عنيفا‬
He slept a troubled sleep ً ‫نام نوما ً مزعجا‬
Sleep is cognate object of the verb slept.
It solved the issue fundamentally ً ‫حلث الموضوع حلاً جذريا‬
2. The object of transitive verb is a noun that receives the action or
nouns that are acted upon .For example:
They attended the meeting ‫حضروا االجتماع‬
3.Averbial expressions of time , place ,and manner , indicating
circumstances under which an action takes place. For example :
It lasts one day ً‫جسحمر يىما واحدا‬
They came at dawn ً ‫جاءوا فجزا‬
4.Causative object shows the purpose of an action , usually using an
indefinite .For example :
During a reception they gave in his honor ‫خلل حفلة اسحقبال اقاموها تكزيما له‬
5. The circumstantial accusative is a way to describe a condition ,
action going on at the same time as the main action .For example :
He raised his hand objecting ‫رفع يده معتزضا‬
She entered class late ‫دخلث الصف متأخزة‬
6. The accusative of specification , often answers the question “ in
what way “ includes the comparative , superlative . For example:
We announced that in speech and action ‫نعلن ذلك قىال وفعال‬
It was the greatest capital in fame and splendor ‫كانتث اكبتر صاةتمة جاهاا و‬
‫فخامة‬
7. The object of association
I walked along the river ‫سرت والنهز‬
8. Concomitant object is a type of object that occurs in accusative case
and is always preceded by the preposition “ with” .For example:
I came back with dawn )‫رجعث والفجز ( أي رجعث مع الفجر‬
I stayed up with moonlight ‫( سرت وضىء القمز‬Aziz ,1989:93)

4.2 Semantic Analysis of Arabic Objects

The current sub-section deals with the semantic analysis of Arabic
objects .Semantically speaking objects can be regarded in terms of
semantic connotation underlying the meaning that a participant has
with the main verb in clause elements.
(a) The most typical semantic function of the direct object is that of
the receiver of the action (i.e. similar to that of English patient of
theme).For example :
6
Al-Adab Journal – Plus No. 126 (September) 2018 / 1439
The boy broke the window ‫كسر الولد النافذة‬
“ the window “ is the receiver of the action.

(b) The most typical semantic function of indirect object is “

agentive” similar to that of English of prepositional phrase. For
example: The students go to school ‫ذهب االوالد الى المدرسة‬
“ to school “ is agentive case or prepositional phrase.

(c) Another semantic function of indirect object is that of beneficiary

similarly to that of English recipient ). For example :
My father bought me a car ‫اشحرى ابي لي سيارة‬
“me “ is the recipient or the beneficiary who receives or gets a car.

(d) The other semantic role of a direct object is that of cognate object
(masdar) as in the following example:
I rejoiced widely ً‫فرحث فرحا ً جذال‬
" widely” is a cognate object (similar to that of adverb of manner in
English ) (Ibid: 94)

Conclusion:
The current research paper has come up with the following findings:
(1) English and Arabic are the two languages with different structures
and grammar.
(2) The syntactic elements of English sentences can be S-V-O (subject
, verb , object whereas the syntactic elements of Arabic sentences
can be V-S-O (verb , subject , object)
(3) Syntactically speaking , an English object can be the following :
direct object , indirect object , object complement, an object of
preposition whereas semantically speaking , an English object can
be affected participant , recipient , attribute locative or effected.
(4) Syntactically speaking , an Arabic object can be either of the
following : cognate object , causative object , circumstantial
accusative or concomitant object whereas semantically speaking ,
an Arabic object can be the receiver of the action , a genitive , or
beneficiary.

7
Al-Adab Journal – Plus No. 126 (September) 2018 / 1439
References :
Aziz, Y.(1989) A Contrastive Grammar of English and Arabic. Mousl: University
of Mousl.
Crystal, D.(1987) A Dictionary of Phonetics and Linguistics.Oxford :Basil
Blackwell.
Finch, J. (2004) Basic Linguistic Terms and Concepts. Oxford: Oxford University
Press .
Löbner, S. (2002) Understanding Semantics. London : Hodder Education.
Lyons , J.(1995) Semantics . Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.
Palmer ,F. (1981) Semantics. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.
Quirk, R.(1973) A University Grammar of English .London :Longman.
Ruby, C. (2001) Writing and Grammar .New york: Prentice Hall.
Saeed , J. (1999) Semantics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Thakur ,S.(1999) Semantics .London : Longman.