Anaphora resolution and explaining the relationship between definiteness and anaphoricity in the Holy Quran (within Centering-Optimality Theory (COT))

Anaphora entities, particularly pronouns, in the Holy Quran are organized in a very subtle and unique manner. Hence anaphora resolution i.e. the identifying of an anaphora in the Quran's text requires particular principals and rules. Undoubtedly, failing in identifying the correct antecedent of these entities leads to certain ambiguities and vagueness which can distort the addressee’s understanding and interpretation. This issue will be even more important while facing a certain structural distance between anaphora and its antecedent and when the relationship between definiteness and anaphoricity is not totally clear-cut. To our knowledge, unfortunately there is no consistent linguistic approach in the Quranic studies regarding explaining the relationship between definiteness and anaphoricity, and this issue has been overlooked regardless of its great importance. Hence, the present thesis using a descriptive-analytic method and specific linguistic constraints, on the basis of the application of an integrative approach of Centering (Grosz et.al, 1983/1995) and Optimality Theory (Beaver, 2004; Mineur, 2006), is aimed to deal with the effect of structural distance between anaphora and its antecedent on anaphora resolution, and to present an explanation regarding the relationship between definiteness and anaphoricity in the Quran's text.