The Problem Of Synonymy In Arabic And The Place Of Synonymy In Language

ABSTRACT Whether there is a synonymy in the language is still a matter of debate. For this reason, both researchers and linguists are divided into two groups: those who see and don't see language synonymy as a problem. This issue is not just a former dispute and remains today. The group, which suggests that there is no synonymy in language, shows our Holy Book as evidence, saying that each word has a different meaning in the Qur'an. The group suggesting the synonymy in language expresses how this synonymy contributes to language by adding artistic harmony and enriches the text's style and structure. They also argue that synonyms can share the same meaning in any field, which is not encountered as a problem in the language. Synonyms abound in all languages and may differ within and between languages. Since such words exist in the language, sometimes even these words cause problems to translators who translate between the two languages due to the similarity of meaning during translation. The meaning meant by the speaker cannot be interpreted clearly, and the message cannot be conveyed in another language at that moment. Arabic has different words containing different meanings, different words containing the same meaning (synonymy) and the same words containing different meanings (polysemy). Additionally, because of its strong connection with the Qur'an, it has great importance both in the world and in Muslim countries. For those who speak that language, this has even been reflected in the style of their speech, their feelings, and the way of their addressing. Similarly, this issue can also be observed in texts written in classical Arabic. In this study, we have expressed how synonyms affect language, its presence in language, and linguists' approaches to the issue; we aimed to shed light on the issue and contribute to the literature.