Allusion of Words to Meaning from the Viewpoint of legal Theorists and Linguistics

Language consists of two components of word (lafẓ) and “meaning” and the consolidated relation between word and meaning causes human mind to be transferred from the notion of lafẓ to the notion of “meaning”. The nature، origin، and source of this relation have always been of interest to the philosophers of language، linguists، and legal theorists. Some have regarded this relation as resulted from the devising and convention and some others maintain that the allusion of words to meanings is a natural allusion. One group regard it the outcome of the devisor’s fabrication (ja‘l) and validity and another group that there is a real and genetic relation between words and meanings. Similarly، a group of learned scholars consider the devising of words to be a human action and believe that humankind have devised word for meanings; and yet another group maintain that the devisor of words is no one but God. All the above-mentioned and whatever that takes into consideration the relation between words and meanings is brought up under the heading of “devising theories” in linguistics and basics of jurisprudence methodology (‘ilm al-uṣūl). A study of the viewpoints of the legal theorists (uṣūlīs) and linguistics in this article clarifies that the mind’s transfer from words to meanings takes place according to a general law of the laws of human mind، which the linguists and psychologists have called “association of ideas”. It means that the emphatic conjoining between word and meaning causes the imagining of word to associate meaning in human mind. The association between word and meaning itself is rooted in devising words. To convey concepts to others and fulfilling one’s needs in society، human beings have undertaken to devise a series of words. This devising and convention would cause conjoining of words and meaning، and consequently، the bond and relation between them، and finally، the allusion of word to meanings.