Deviation from Collocational Patterns in Najdi Colloquial Proverbs: A Semantic Study

Abstract

This study investigates deviation from conventional collocational patterns in Mohammed bin Nasser Al-Aboudi’s Colloquial Proverbs in Najd from a semantic perspective, employing a contextual approach to examine the meanings generated by such deviations. It focuses on three principal patterns: deviations in verb–noun, noun–noun, and verb–particle collocations. The study explores how Najdi colloquial proverbs depart from expected lexical combinations and how these departures contribute to the production of meanings that would not emerge from conventional collocational usage. The findings demonstrate that collocational deviation functions as an effective stylistic and semantic device, enhancing the literary quality, vitality, and expressive force of the proverbs. By disrupting familiar patterns of lexical association, such deviations attract the recipient’s attention, create an element of surprise, and contribute to the enduring appeal of proverbial expressions. They also generate additional semantic effects that conventional collocations would not produce in their expected forms, particularly the intensification of description and the emphasis and reinforcement of meaning. The study thus highlights the significance of collocational deviation in understanding the semantic richness and stylistic distinctiveness of Najdi colloquial proverbs.