The Structure of Silencing Responses in Balaghat al-Nisa’ by Ibn Tayfūr: A Narrative-Argumentative Approach

Abstract

This study investigates the structure of women’s silencing responses in Ibn Tayfūr’s Balaghat al-Nisa’ through a narrative-argumentative perspective. Focusing on selected anecdotes from classical Arabic heritage, the research examines how these responses function as persuasive dialogic acts that reshape the course of conversation and establish rhetorical authority. By combining argumentation theory with selected tools of narrative analysis, the study explores the relationship between silencing responses and the narrative framework in which they are embedded, paying particular attention to the roles of dialogue, transmission, and context in generating persuasive force. The analysis is organized around three dimensions: the dialogic structure of silencing responses, the interpersonal relations reflected in them, and their linguistic construction. The findings reveal that the effectiveness of these responses stems not simply from verbal wit or rapid reaction, but from carefully structured argumentative strategies that enable speakers to gain discursive superiority within communicative encounters. The study further demonstrates that women in the examined corpus occupy an active position as producers of argument and managers of dialogue, skillfully employing linguistic, religious, social, and cultural references to strengthen their discourse. The research ultimately highlights the rhetorical agency of women in classical Arabic heritage and their significant role in shaping persuasive communication.