tamyiz

Tamyiz, written تمييز in Arabic, is a grammatical term describing a noun that clarifies or specifies the meaning of a preceding word, usually to make sense of a quantity, measurement, time, or general term. It functions as a kind of specification tool within a sentence and helps remove ambiguity about what is being referred to.

Common uses and rules:

- After numerals and expressions of quantity, tamyiz names the exact item being counted. For example, in قرأت ثلاثين كتاباً, the word كتاباً is the tamyiz that specifies what is counted by ثلاثين.

- After expressions of time or duration, tamyiz clarifies the time frame. For example, حضرتُ يوماً could be read as a tamyiz indicating “one day” in a time-bearing sense.

- After measures or amounts, tamyiz indicates what is measured. For instance, اشترى نصف رغيفٍ communicates “half a loaf” as the thing measured.

Properties:

- The tamyiz is typically a noun in the accusative case (nasb) and is usually indefinite in many constructions.

- It follows the word that it clarifies and is not itself a descriptor of the noun in the way an adjective is; rather, it explains the scope or object of the preceding term.

- It is a distinct element of i’rab (Arabic case markings) and is commonly treated as a nominal rather than a dependent adjective.

Related concepts:

- Tamyiz is contrasted with adjectives (sifat) that directly modify a noun; tamyiz supplies the exact item or quantity being referred to.

- It is one of the classic devices studied in Arabic grammar and morphology and is often discussed alongside other i’rab concepts and categories of clauses.