A COGNITIVE-SEMANTIC APPROACH TO THE INTERPRETATION OF DEATH METAPHOR THEMES IN THE QURAN

In previous literature, conceptual metaphor has been used as a comprehensive cognitive tool to explore systematic categorization of concepts in the Quran. Death metaphor themes have either been studied from rhetorical or conceptual perspectives, but metaphor interpretation needs both linguistic and conceptual knowledge. This paper will explore the function of both linguistic and conceptual knowledge in metaphor interpretation in the Quran. This paper has used the technique of key words and phrases for data collection and metaphor identification procedure (MIP) for metaphors identification. Thirteen conceptual metaphors were found in the data. The key conceptual metaphors were analyzed through the lexical concept cognitive model theory (hereafter LCCM) to find out the functions of linguistic and conceptual knowledge in metaphor interpretation. The findings reveal that conceptual metaphor gives only relational structure to the linguistic metaphoric expressions, whereas interpretation needs integration of both linguistic and conceptual knowledge. Conceptual simulation of metaphoric expressions is a multilinear process of multiple conceptual schemas and language. The findings also reveal that LCCM needs the tool of intertextuality for clash resolution of contexts in text interpretation. This paper holds that meaning construction depends upon multilinear processing of conceptual schemas and language. Furthermore, it asserts that the gap in LCCM may be resolved through the tool of intertextuality in metaphor comprehension. This study suggests further studies on relationship between conceptual schemas and lexical behaviour and an elaborate model for text interpretation, combining LCCM and intertextuality.   Keywords: Cognitive model, cognitive semantics, conceptual metaphor, fusion, lexical concept   Cite as: Sardaraz, K., & Ali, R. (2019). A cognitive-semantic approach to the interpretation of death metaphor themes in the Quran. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 2(4), 219-246. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol4iss2pp219-24

CONCEPTUALISATION OF DEATH AND RESURRECTION IN THE HOLY QURAN: A COGNITIVE-SEMANTIC APPROACH

Conceptual metaphor is the discursive linguistic strategy employed in the Holy Quran to imprint upon the human mind the Quranic worldview. This approach can better explain the abstract concepts of death and resurrection in the Holy Quran through cross domain mapping with human experiential concepts. Traditional exegetes and rhetoricians missed this phenomenon in the Holy Quran because of their preoccupation with rhetorical and theological aspects of death and resurrection. The existing cognitive semantic research has also paid little or no attention to the investigation of death and resurrection in the Holy Quran. Therefore, this paper attempts to investigate the conceptual metaphor themes of death and resurrection in the Holy Quran. Data were retrieved from the Holy Quran on the basis of key words and phrases encapsulating the abstract concepts of death and resurrection. The analysis of data reveals various conceptual metaphor themes. It is also found that the data question the asymmetrical hypothesis of conceptual metaphor theory and its role as a sole model of metaphor interpretation. This study is part of the growing research on conceptual metaphor in the Holy Quran and is hoped to contribute to further research on the cognitive semantic analysis of the Holy Quran.  Keywords: cognition, cognitive-semantic, conceptual metaphor, experiential gestalt, QuranCite as: Khan, S. & Ali, R. (2016). Conceptualisation of death and resurrection in the holy Quran: A cognitive-semantic approach. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 1(2), 11-24.  http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol1iss2pp11-2

Understanding of mass transfer resistance for the adsorption of solute onto porous material from the modified mass transfer factor models

Mass transfer is important in separation and is essential for adsorption process. Mass transfer resistance controls the adsorption kinetic rate, but there is only limited understanding of the adsorption of a solute onto porous material from surface water. This study investigates the adsorptions of NH4þ and Al3+ onto granular activated carbon from surface water using the laboratory-scale plug flow column. The use of the modified mass transfer models is able to determine the resistance of mass transfer for the adsorption of one or more solutes present in surface water onto porous material. In this case study identified that the resistance of mass transfer is dependent on film mass transfer before and porous diffusion after break-through occurred. The research findings advance understanding of novel approach for investigating mass transfer resistance of solute onto porous material from waters

ISU ISTILAH, KATA DAN DIKSI DALAM BERBAHASA

Ramai yang melihat “istilah” dan “kata” sebagai suatu perkara yang sama. Padahal, kedua-duanya berbeza antara satu sama lain. Lebih menghairankan lagi, ada pengguna bahasa yang menggunakan istilah bahasa dan diksi (pemilihan kata) yang salah tanpa ada perasaan malu sedikitpun. Selain itu, ada juga yang suka menggunakan bahasa Melayu yang bercampur baur dengan bahasa Inggeris kerana mereka tidak pandai lagi menggunakan bahasa sendiri sebagai alat komunikasi dan ilmu. Pengaruh dan proses peminjaman bahasa asing ke bahasa Melayu juga menjadi salah satu faktor penyebab kurangnya penggunaan kata-kata asli bahasa Melayu dalam berbahasa. Akibatnya, kata-kata jati tersebut semakin dilupai dan mungkin tidak akan diketahui maknanya nanti oleh generasi akan datang. Kalau itu yang terjadi, benarlah peribahasa yang berbunyi ‘hilang bahasa, lenyaplah bangsa’. Peribahasa ini menunjukkan bahasa perlu disanjung dan tidak dipinggirkan demi menjaga maruah sesuatu bangsa. Dalam konteks bahasa Melayu, kita rakyat Malaysia seharusnya berasa bangga sekiranya kita dapat bertutur menggunakan bahasa Melayu dengan baik dan tepat tanpa bercampur aduk dengan bahasa lain

Taburan fosil dan penilaian semula usia formasi singa di Langkawi, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia

Formasi Singa yang tersingkap di Kepulauan Langkawi terdiri daripada jujukan batuan sedimen argilit dan boleh dibahagikan kepada empat ahli iaitu Rebak, Kentut, Ular dan Selang. Formasi Singa kaya dengan fosil terutamanya daripada jenis brakiopod, bryozoa dan bivalvia yang boleh ditemui dalam Ahli Rebak dan Ahli Selang. Fosil yang ditemui semasa kajian dijalankan serta fosil yang pernah dilaporkan oleh penyelidik terdahulu telah dibuat penelitian semula untuk menentukan usia Formasi Singa dengan lebih tepat. Himpunan fosil Formasi Singa boleh dibahagikan kepada tiga julat usia, iaitu Visean, Asselian Akhir - Sakmarian Awal dan Sakmarian Akhir. Jujukan berusia Visean diwakili oleh Ahli Rebak, manakala jujukan Asselian Akhir - Sakmarian Awal dan jujukan Sakmarian Akhir diwakili oleh Ahli Selang. Dalam Ahli Ular dan Ahli Kentut tidak ditemui sebarang fosil. Keputusan daripada kertas ini memerlukan satu kajian semula dijalankan terhadap litostratigrafi Formasi Singa

Remaja bercinta: kajian terhadap tiga jenis sekolah menengah kebangsaan, agama dan agama swasta

Remaja bercinta adalah fenomena percintaan antara dua pasangan berlainan jantina di alam persekolahan. Fenomena remaja bercinta yang tidak terkawal boleh membawa kepada permasalahan gejala sosial remaja seperti lari rumah, buang anak, keruntuhan akhlak, dan lemah dalam pelajaran. Kebanyakan kehidupan zaman remaja dihabiskan di alam persekolahan. Di samping peranan ibu bapa, sekolah adalah tempat yang penting untuk memberi pendidikan berkesan terhadap remaja. Selain daripada memberi penekanan terhadap akademik, sekolah juga bertanggungjawab memberi pendidikan tentang isu percintaan dalam kalangan remaja, agar mereka memahami hakikat bercinta. Oleh itu kajian dilakukan terhadap tiga jenis sekolah menengah; sekolah menengah kebangsaan, sekolah menengah agama dan sekolah menengah agama persendirian bertujuan untuk mengenalpasti sejauhmana remaja bercinta, faktor remaja bercinta dan hubungannya terhadap pencapaian akademik. Sebanyak 431 soal selidik telah diterima dari 6 buah sekolah, 2 sekolah mewakili setiap jenis sekolah. Tiga jenis sekolah ini mempunyai persamaan dari aspek kandungan pembelajaran akademik, persekitaran fizikal seperti kemudahan, sekolah jenis campuran jantina dan guru yang bertauliah. Manakala ia mempunyai perbezaan dari perlaksanaan pendidikan, aktiviti kerohanian dan suasana sekolah yang diwujudkan oleh pihak pengurusan. Hasil dapatan mendapati sekolah menengah agama swasta mempunyai paling kurang peratusan remaja bercinta (<10%) berbanding sekolah menengah agama (50%) dan sekolah menengah kebangsaan (80%). Hasil kajian juga mendapati bahawa remaja bercinta tidak memberi pengaruh terhadap akademik mereka. Kelima-lima faktor seperti diri, rakan, keluarga, media dan internet dikenalpasti mempengaruhi remaja bercinta, bagaimanapun kajian mendapati terdapat perbezaan yang ketara pada jenis sekolah. Hasil kajian dapat disimpulkan bahawa perlaksanaan pendidikan, jenis aktiviti kerohanian dan suasana sekolah sangat mempengaruhi sikap remaja dan secara tidak langsung memberi kesedaran kepada remaja akan hakikat bercinta yang sebenar dan seterusnya menghindarkan mereka terjebak cinta dalam zaman remaja

Argument is War Metaphor in the Qur’ān

This paper investigates the experiential basis of the concept of ‘argument’ in the language of the Holy Qur’ān in order to explore the cross-era dimensions of war as the source domain for argument. Conceptual metaphor approach has been applied to the data collected from the Holy Qur’ān through the technique of topical words to find out metaphor themes of argument. The findings reveal that ARGUMENT IS WAR metaphor is missing in classical Arabic of the Holy Qur’ān. However, the concept of argument is framed by other metaphors such as container schema, objects, and personification. It also serves as source domain for the invocation to Allah SWT. The findings also show that language has an intrinsic function in metaphor comprehension. The paper suggests further research of classical Arabic literature to make some definite theoretical conclusions on ARGUMENT IS WAR metaphor, and to explore more basic conceptual schemas in cross-era languages

Review Article: Appropriate Hydrothermal Pretreatment of Oil Palm Biomass in Palm Oil Mill

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is one of the most planted trees in Malaysia for the palm oil production.  Thus, solid biomass had been generated from this industry such as empty fruit bunch, shell, mesocarp fibre, frond and trunk produced that causes problematic to the nation and expected to escalate up to 85-110 million tonnes by 2020. Besides that, palm oil mill effluent and excessive steam also generated from the production of palm oil. In situ hydrothermal pretreatment means the utilisation of excessive steam produced by the oil palm mill and at the same time, generating value added product as well as reducing the biomass. Oil palm biomass is rich in lignocellulosic materials which comprised of lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose. Refinement of lignocellulosic from oil palm biomass can be utilised to form fermentable sugar, bioethanol and other potential chemicals. Recalcitrant property of lignocellulosic reduces the ability of enzymes to penetrate, thus pretreatment is required prior to hydrolysis process. Pretreatment can be either physical, chemical, biological or combined. In this review paper, three types of hydrothermal pretreatment were discussed as suitable in situ pretreatment process for oil palm biomass; in palm oil mill. The suitability was measured based on the availability of excess steam and energy in the mill. Furthermore, physicochemical pretreatment also facilitate the saccharification process, whereby it loosened the lignocellulose structure and increase the surface area. The effects and factors in choosing right pretreatment are highlighted in this paper