Discursive and Semantic study of the speech act ( to explain) in French and in Arabic

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research aims at analyzing the construction of the lexical meaning of the verb (to explain ) using French and Arabic lexicographical discourse and adopting the questionnaire as a tool for gathering information in order to find out different meanings of the this verb . Then, the researcher analyzed the semantic usage of the verb ( to explain) in order to show the multiple meanings that are included in its lexical construction depending on the dictionaries as a methodological and scientific way of gathering information. we also focused on the conceptual content of this verb and analyzed its oral usage depending on various assumed scenarios of the sample study. In the dictionary, the denotative meaning remains relatively stable compared to the connotative one that differs according to the context. Overall, individuals have a broader view that the dictionary on the different meanings of the word . Generally , we find that in the cases considered, the terms seem to fit into a polysemy class according to the phrasal context, attesting to contextual variations of meaning.