Reciprocal Ellipsis (Ihtibak) Analysis in some Selected Verses in Qur’an: A Pragma-semantic Approach

The present study aims mainly at the pragma-semantic analysis of the reciprocal ellipsis in the Glorious Qur’an. It is mainly concerned with interpreting the significance of reciprocal ellipsis contextually in some selected verses. It is based on Speech Act Theory by Austin. This theory is tackled on two levels. Firstly, it provides the locutionary act for each verse to clarify the literal meaning. Secondly, this theory provides the illocutionary act to elaborate the intended meaning. Reciprocal ellipsis, ihtibak in Arabic, is divided into five types; oppositional, similar, negative versus affirmative, analogical, and mixed. Briefly, oppositional ihtibak is based on opposite meanings where antonyms are employed to clarify ihtibak, similar ihtibak is based on the sameness concept of meanings between the components mentioned in the two parts of the verse, negative versus affirmative ihtibak is the type in which the first part negates a word that is affirmed in the second; while the second part negates a word that is affirmed in the first, analogical ihtibak relies mainly on the presence of some common features between the two parts, but not a typical similarity like the one observed in similar ihtibak, and mixed ihtibak combines two types within one verse. In addition, this study uses the English translation of Qur’an, translated by Abdel Haleem (2005), to clarify the meanings for Non-Arab readers. The meaning of ihtibak is clarified depending on different interpretation books by Al-Qurtuby, and Al-Tabary.