Mutakhayyar al-Alfaz
- Author died
- 395 AH
- Editions
- Maṭba‘at al-Ma‘ārif
Mutakhayyar al-Alfaz (Selected Vocabulary) is a lexical treatise by the philologist and lexicographer Abu al-Husayn Ahmad ibn Faris (d. 395 AH / 1004 CE), dedicated to compiling refined and eloquent Arabic vocabulary and rhetorical phrases in prose and verse .
Purpose and Linguistic Method
Ibn Faris states in his introduction that he named the work Mutakhayyar al-Alfaz because he selected for it the finest speech of the Arabs, their most agreeable words, and their most dignified modes of address, whether in verse or rhymed and unrhymed prose . He compiled the book for writers seeking the core of eloquent speech and poets aiming for a balanced register, steering clear of vulgarity on the one hand and archaic, uncouth expressions (al-wahshi al-mustaghrab) on the other .
To justify his selection, Ibn Faris classifies speech into three categories:
- A base category shared between the elite and the common people, which occupies the lowest rank of discourse .
- An archaic, strange category (al-wahshi) that belonged to the temperament of earlier peoples and disappeared along with them .
- An intermediate register (al-rutba al-wusta) situated between the two, which is the most pleasant to hear, easiest on the tongue, most ornamental in oratory, sweetest in poetry, and the clearest mark of discernment in language .
Structure and Scope
The work is organized thematically into specific chapters. Ibn Faris opens the sections with accessible single words (al-alfaz al-mufrada) and concludes them with composite expressions (al-alfaz al-murakkaba) that function as proverbs, similes, allegories, and metaphors . He relies predominantly on the diction of Arab poets after examining their poetic collections (diwans) .
The thematic chapters treat various subjects of speech and conduct, including:
- Descriptions of fine and agreeable speech (wasf al-kalam al-hasan) .
- Defective speech, inarticulacy, and stammering (al-kalam al-radi' wa-l-'iyy) .
- Loquacity and babbling (al-hadhr wa-l-ikthar) .
- Implied meaning and nuances of expression (al-lahn wa-l-fahwa) .
- Keeping secrets and partial disclosures (al-sirr wa-l-ikhbar bi-ba'd al-hadith) .
- Calumny (al-namima) and praise (al-madh) .
Ibn Faris favored conciseness in this work, noting that a reader seeking a more comprehensive compilation of the beauties of Arabic speech should consult his other treatise, al-Habir al-Mudhhab .
Title Variants and Publication
The work is cited as Mutakhayyar al-Alfaz by Ibn al-Anbari and Yaqut al-Hamawi in his biographical dictionary . It is also cited under the variant title Mukhtar al-Alfaz by al-Jurjani in al-Kinayat . The book was edited by Hilal Naji and published in Baghdad in 1390 AH / 1970 CE .
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