Linking Verbs in News Style
In Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) journalism, certain verbs act as 'copulas' (linking verbs) to add weight and precision to statements. While a simple nominal sentence works for 'A is B,' news style prefers verbs like يُعَدّ (is considered), يُشَكِّل (constitutes), and يُمَثِّل (represents) to define the relationship between the subject and the predicate.
How It Works
In Arabic journalism, specific verbs link a subject to a description or role. While often translated as 'is' or 'represents,' they belong to different grammatical categories:
- يُعَدّ / يُعْتَبَر (is considered): These are passive forms of verbs meaning 'to count' or 'to consider.' The noun following them is the deputy subject (nominative). The description that follows is in the accusative case because it functions as the second object of the original active verb (e.g., يُعَدُّ المشروعُ خطوةً هامةً). A common journalistic pattern uses the preposition من (e.g., يُعَدُّ من أهمّ...) to mean 'is considered among the most...'
- يُشَكِّل (constitutes/forms): A standard transitive verb used to define a condition or abstract state. The subject is nominative and the result is the direct object in the accusative.
- يُمَثِّل (represents): Used for symbolic roles or when a subject acts as a proxy. It follows the standard Verb-Subject-Object order.
- باتَ (has become): A true nāsikh verb. In news style, it is frequently paired with a present tense verb (e.g., باتَ يَعْتَقِدُ) to express that someone 'has come to' or 'now' performs an action. The subject remains nominative and the following verb clause acts as the predicate.
Becoming and Serving As: أصبح frequently means “became/has become,” without literally locating the change in the morning: أصبحَ التعاونُ ضرورةً (Cooperation has become a necessity). التعاونُ is اسم أصبح and ضرورةً its accusative predicate. بِمَثَابَةِ means “in the role of/equivalent to”: يُعَدُّ الاتفاقُ بِمَثَابَةِ بدايةٍ جديدةٍ (The agreement is considered a new beginning). The words مثابةِ and بدايةٍ are genitive within the prepositional and construct phrase; do not add an accusative ending merely because the phrase follows يُعَدّ.
Examples (6)
- تُعَدُّ هذه الخطوةُ تحولاً جذرياً في مسار المفاوضات.
This step is considered a radical shift in the course of negotiations.
Word by Word: Is considered this step a shift radical in course (of) the negotiations.
Note that 'shift' (تحولاً) is in the accusative case because it follows the passive verb 'is considered'.
- يُشَكِّلُ التغيرُ المناخيُّ تهديداً كبيراً للأمن الغذائي.
Climate change constitutes a major threat to food security.
Word by Word: Constitutes the change the climatic a threat big for the security the food-related.
The verb 'constitutes' links the subject (climate change) to the result (a threat).
- يُمَثِّلُ هذا القرارُ انتصاراً للدبلوماسية الدولية.
This decision represents a victory for international diplomacy.
Word by Word: Represents this decision a victory for the diplomacy the international.
Here, 'represents' is used to show the symbolic value of the decision.
- باتَ من الواضحِ أنَّ الأزمةَ تتجهُ نحو التصعيد.
It has become clear that the crisis is heading toward escalation.
Word by Word: Has become from the clear that the crisis it heads toward the escalation.
The verb 'bāta' here indicates a state that has been reached, rather than its classical meaning of 'staying overnight'.
- أَصْبَحَ التَّعَاوُنُ ضَرُورَةً.
Cooperation has become a necessity.
Word by Word: Became cooperation a necessity.
أصبح has a nominative اسم and accusative خبر; here its meaning is change of state, not morning time.
- يُعَدُّ الاِتِّفَاقُ بِمَثَابَةِ بِدَايَةٍ جَدِيدَةٍ.
The agreement is considered a new beginning.
Word by Word: Is considered the agreement in the capacity of a new beginning.
The بمثابة phrase expresses equivalence or role. بدايةٍ is genitive as the complement of مثابةِ.
Common Mistakes
Using the preposition 'ka-' (like/as) after 'yu'addu'.
يُعَدُّ كَمَرْكَزٍ لِلتِّجَارَةِيُعَدُّ مَرْكَزاً لِلتِّجَارَةِIn the intended classification “is considered a center,” use يُعَدّ مركزًا: the passive construction leaves the original second object accusative. A phrase with كـ expresses comparison and may change the intended relation; كـ is not categorically banned after the verb.
Leaving the complement in the nominative case.
يُشَكِّلُ خَطَرٌ كَبِيرٌيُشَكِّلُ خَطَراً كَبِيراًBecause these verbs function transitively, the noun following them must be in the accusative case (manṣūb).
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn the use of linking verbs in news style, a learner must first understand the general category of 'sisters of Kāna' which govern similar sentence structures. Additionally, because these verbs often take a predicate in the accusative case to define a subject's role or status, a solid grasp of the accusative case (Mansūb) and direct objects (Maf'ūl bihi) is required.
- كان and Its Sisters
This pattern is an extension of the 'Kāna and its sisters' category, applying the same grammatical rules (raising the subject and making the predicate accusative) to a specific set of verbs used in journalism.
Level 3 - The Direct Object
Since these verbs function as transitive verbs in news style to state what something amounts to, the learner must understand how direct objects receive the action and the accusative case.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- The Register of Arabic Journalism
These verbs are the primary building blocks of the formal register used in Arabic news media.
Level 6 - The Object Ending
Understanding the accusative case is essential because all complements of these linking verbs must be manṣūb.
Level 2 - Passive in the Present
The verb 'yu'addu' is almost always used in the passive present form in journalistic contexts.
Level 3 - Sentences With No Verb
These verbs are used to replace simple nominal sentences to provide more formal and precise descriptions.
Level 1
Practice Linking Verbs in News Style in Bubblegum
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