A Corpus-Based and Cultural–Pragmatic Analysis of Oaths in Quranic Discourse Based on Sharifian’s (2017) Cultural Linguistics Framework

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 , Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

2 Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Literature and Languages, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of English Language, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the structural, semantic, and pragmatic roles of oaths in the Qur’anic discourse, employing a corpus-based approach within the framework of cultural linguistics. Data were extracted by aligning the Arabic text of the Qur’an with the Persian translation of Mohi-ud-Din Mahdi Elahi Qomshei and analyzed using corpus-based methods. The findings indicate that Qur’anic oaths manifest in both explicit and implicit forms and are organized through reference to sacred entities, natural phenomena, specific times, and cosmic concepts. Semantically, these constructions not only affirm the truth of propositions but also reinforce the divine dimension of meaning and highlight ethical and eschatological themes. Pragmatically, four primary functions were identified: denying accusations and self-defense, emphasizing truth, creating commitment to action, and issuing warnings or threats. Interpreted within the framework of cultural linguistics, Qur’anic oaths are shown to embody “cultural-pragmatic schemas,” such that each oathful event, beyond being a linguistic construction, reflects a network of religious beliefs, moral norms, and culturally shaped patterns of meaning-making. This study offers an analytical framework for systematically and multilayeredly explicating the phenomenon of oaths in the Qur’an.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Linguistics & Iranian Languages
Volume 10, Issue 3
February 2026
Pages 93-119

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History

  • Receive Date: 17 December 2025
  • Revise Date: 21 April 2026
  • Accept Date: 18 May 2026

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