An Analysis of the Application of the Dynamic Verb "Anzala" in the Qur’an Based on the Linguistic Theory of Talmy

Action is an important and effective element in conceptualization embodied in a sentence by virtue of the verb as a dynamic constituent. Leonard Talmy, the renowned linguist in the field of cognitive semantics, believes that dynamic verbs are the results of four motive, figure, ground, and directional components. In the Holy Qur’an, the dynamic verb "anzala" is a directional verb which has a high frequency because of its usage in topics related to the sending down of the Qur’an and mercy unto people. This study aimed to analyze the function of the verb "anzala" in the Holy Qur’an, relying on cognitive linguistics and Talmy's theory of motion. The results show that this verb has a descending direction. The agent of all instances of the dynamic verb "anzala" is the same and it is God who causes the descending motion. The descending motion has a subjective function so that the figures in the form of objectified existences travel in the descending direction toward the ground, namely, the earth and the creatures. Additionally, due to its semantic extent and the connection of its marginal and focal meanings, the verb "anzala" depicts a cognitive schema.