Coherence among Classical Arab Scholars: The Linking Evidence as a Model

Abstract

A text cannot be considered as such unless it is coherent, and coherence is one of the most prominent criteria of textuality. It is achieved only through the interconnection between the structures and various linguistic elements of the language system, whereby these structures and elements synergize to form a harmonious and consistent unit. Among the most important means of achieving textual coherence is linking. Accordingly, this article focuses on the linking evidence, as it differs from other types of evidence by establishing a contextual syntactic relationship between the components of a sentence or between sentences. The article also examines the perspective of classical Arab scholars on this type of evidence, to assess the extent of their understanding of linking and their awareness of the conditions of textuality and discourse coherence.