إياك

Arabic

Etymology

From ك + إيا (the second person singular bound object pronoun); an innovation first attested in Old Arabic. Derived from ء ي ء (ʾ-y-ʾ) originally a vocative word used to call to someone, to direct their attention.[1]

In Arabic, typically the verb conjugation implies the subject and the object of the sentence follows the verb, attaching to its end. Pronouns outside of the subject of the sentence cannot stand alone and more than one pronoun cannot be carried by one word.

In a sentence where there is more than one object pronoun, the second will need a new word to carry it; إيا acts as an escort without imparting any additional meanings to the sentence.

Pronunciation 1

  • IPA(key): /ʔij.jaː.ka/

Pronoun

إِيَّاكَ (ʾiyyāka) m

  1. you (second person masculine singular object pronoun)
  2. beware!
    إِيَّاكَ وَٱلْأَسَدَ
    ʾiyyāka wal-ʾasada
    Beware of the lion!

Pronunciation 2

  • IPA(key): /ʔij.jaː.ki/

Pronoun

إِيَّاكِ (ʾiyyāki) f

  1. you (second person feminine singular object pronoun)
  2. beware!
    إِيَّاكِ وَٱلْأَسَدَ
    ʾiyyāki wal-ʾasada
    Beware of the lion!

See also

References

  1. “ايا” in Edward William Lane (1863), Arabic-English Lexicon, London: Williams & Norgate, pages 135-136, meaning to beckon, o, hi there, advance to me, attention grabbing word used on one who is distant or not paying attention.
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