سَبَبِيّة
root: س-ب-ب / abstract noun / definition: causality
You probably already know that different Arabic verb forms point to different general meanings. For example, form X verbs refer to seeking something, and form VII indicates that the verb meaning is passive.
But have you noticed that form II (فَعَّلَ / يُفَعِّلُ) and form IV (أَفْعَلَ / يُفْعِلُ) verb patterns both indicate a causative meaning? So, what’s the difference (if any) between them?
Actually, many form II and IV verbs from the same root share their meaning. Take the form II خَبَّرَ / يُخَبِّرُ and the form IV أَخبَرَ / يُخبِرُ for example—both mean “to inform”.
Or غَلَّقَ / يُغَلِّقُ and أَغلَقَ / يُغلِقُ, “to close something”. Or وَقَّفَ / يُوَقِّفُ and أَوْقَفَ / يُوقِفُ, “to make someone/something stop”. Or فَسَّدَ / يُفَسِّدُ and أَفسَدَ / يُفسِدُ, “to corrupt”.
Sometimes, though, their meanings differ slightly. For instance, the form II عَلَّمَ / يُعَلِّمُ means “to teach” whereas the form IV أَعلَمَ / يُعلِمُ means “to let someone know about something”. Pretty similar concepts, but used in different contexts.
As well as causative meanings, form II verbs can also indicate intensive or repeated actions. For example, the form I verb سَمَّ / يَسُمُّ means “to poison someone or something” and the form II سَمَّمَ / يُسَمِّمُ indicates repeated or intense attempts to poison.
Notice, then, how the form II verb عَلَّمَ / يُعَلِّمُ (“to teach”) indicates that teaching is a repetitive process—unlike the form IV أَعلَمَ / يُعلِمُ (“to let someone know about something”) which is not so.
Not only that, but form II verbs can be denominative—i.e. they’re derived from nouns.
Think: صَوَّرَ / يُصَوِّرُ (“to photograph”) from صورة (“image”). Or بَيَّضَ / يُبَيِّضُ (“to make something white”) from بَياض (“whiteness”).
Overall… form II and form IV verbs are pretty similar in their core meaning. Form II verbs tend to indicate repetitiveness or intensity, though, and can be derived from nouns.
What other insights can you derive from the differences between form II and form IV nouns?
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