Quran and Hadith Studies

Quran and Hadith Studies

Revising the Functions and Translations of “Min dūni” in the Quran on the basis of Frame Semantics

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
Seyyed Mahdi Hosseini 1
Seyed Hosein Seyedi 2
Pouya Shahriarirad 3
1 Ph.D. Student, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Dr. Ali Shariati Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Dr. Ali Shariati Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
3 Ph.D. Graduate, Department of Linguistics, Dr. Ali Shariati Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
10.22067/jquran.2025.92009.1844
Abstract
Viewing the word as a fundamental unit in discourse analysis plays a key role in the formation of the linguistic structure and, consequently, the translation system. The perspective on different dimensions of the word determines the method and approach adopted in translation. In the evolution of semantics, we have consistently witnessed a broadening perspective on the word. Meanwhile, “frame semantics”, with a cognitive approach, elevates the analytical level of the word beyond the boundaries of the sentence and context and seeks it in a set of language users’ mental and conceptual structures. In fact, the frameworks of conceptual metaphors constitute semantic frames within which the word gains meaning. The application of this theory in translation leads to the revision of the conceptual systems of both the source and target languages with the aim of exact reconstruction of the text. Still, according to this study, this matter has been neglected in the translation of the Quran, and thereby it has created a conceptual gap in comprehension and representation of meanings. So, using a descriptive-analytical method, this paper examines the functions of the compound “min dūni” in the Quranic framework and analyzes translators’ performance in its translation through a critical approach. According to the results, most translators have not been very successful in transferring and reconstructing the fluid multidimensional functions of this compound.
Keywords
Quran
Frame semantics
Min dūni
Translation
Subjects
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Quran and Hadith Studies
Volume 58, Issue 1 - Serial Number 116
Spring & summer 2026
August 2026
Pages 83-104

  • Receive Date 13 July 2025
  • Revise Date 12 October 2025
  • Accept Date 08 November 2025