The desinentially inflectional and the indeclinable; the indefinite and the definite; translation and analysis of the sections so named of Al Alfiyya of Ibn Mālik as interpreted by Ibn ᶜAqīl

Abstract

A word's indeclinability in Arabic is determined by its similarity to the particles, which are considered to possess the defining characteristics of indeclinability. This similarity is found in four categories: similarity in terms of structure; similarity in terms of meaning; similarity by being ungoverned by a regent; and similarity by requiring a complement. A substantive's indefiniteness is determined by its ability either to accept the definite article ا ل in those cases where the latter is able to induce definiteness, or to take the place of that which accepts the definite article in the same cases.