Discourse Meanings: An Application of Intertextuality Perspective

Abstract

The ultimate aim of this research paper is to figure out how the discourse meanings of lexemes can be different from their meanings, which are used in everyday life. This study considers the Holy Quran an example of a discourse, in which, words have distinct meanings. As for the methodology, the main advancements of the Intertextuality Perspective are adopted. The Arabic word fata is used as study data. Precisely, the current study aims to figure out the discoursal meaning of the lexical item fata in the holy verse Prophets 60. The methodology employed consists of two levels. Firstly, the main speculations of the primal Islamic scholars, concerning this word, are added. Secondly, intertextuality is used as a theoretical construct to map out the discoursal meaning of fata in the Holy Quran. The study concludes with the claim that the word fata has a discourse meaning in the Holy Quran which is different from what has been widely claimed. The study hypothesizes that fata means 'a servant' in the Holy Quran regardless of his or her age. The study recommends adopting this meaning when interpreting the Holy Quran in order to understand it properly and carefully.