Encyclopedia of Arabic Stylistic Devices (EASD)

Basic data for this project

Description

The immense importance of premodern Arabic rhetorical theory in its own time sharply contrasts with its almost total marginalization in current research. In Europe, rhetoric is probably the most underestimated cultural achievement in Arab intellectual history. Better knowledge, accessibility and visibility will therefore lead to a broader perception of this cultural achievement and thus strengthen an appreciative view of the entire Arab-Islamic culture. This project aims to develop an online Encyclopedia in English language on Arabic literary Stylistic Devices (EASD), which are discussed in premodern rhetorical theory and are hardly accessible to researchers. Since the 9th century, many specialized works have been devoted to the study of stylistic figures. The EASD will analyze and study 40 stylistic devices for the first time in their function as well as their historical development in the form of specialist articles based on the standard work by al-Ḫaṭīb al-Qazwīnī (d. 1338). The project thus serves above all as basic research in the field of Arabic stylistic devices (ʿilm al-badīʿ), which, as part of the standard rhetorical theory, is still largely unexplored, especially for the period after 1400. In the various premodern texts on stylistic devices, figures are exemplified by references from both poetry and prose, as well as from the Qur'an. These references will be recorded and explained separately in the EASD, e.g. author, work, place, time, etc., and linked to other data, such as the digital Complete Edition Project of Ibn Nubātah (d. 1366), one of the most influential Arab literary figures. In addition, an online encyclopedia offers possibilities for cross-referencing through internal links. All text contributions and annotation data will be stored long-term in standardized basic formats (TEI, RDF) to make them accessible for further research. The research on the individual stylistic figures will be carried out by the applicant and the project coordinator together with early career scholars, and an international network of specialized supporters. Since Arabic rhetoric developed in exchange with other disciplines such as grammar and chancery stylistics, Qur'anic exegesis and legal hermeneutics, special attention will be paid to such interdisciplinary relationships. Certain stylistic devices are interconnected through their historical development and this will also be made clear in the EASD. In particular, the group of 'argumentative' stylistic figures allows to examine in detail the interconnectedness of individual figures and their interdisciplinary relationships, especially with theology and Islamic law. The project coordinator will therefore work on these stylistic figures for the EASD and will also write an independent monograph on this subject.