Annexation ('iḍāfa) in Arabic Grammatical Thought

The term 'iddfa ("annexation"') refers to a syntactic unit in which the first component, called al-mudaf, is linked to the second component, called al-mudaf 'ilayhi, when the latter defines or identifies the first component. This paper attempts to provide an in-depth account of the prominent issues discussed in the grammatical descriptions presenting this phenomenon: The literal meaning of the term 'iddfa; the syntactic features of each component (e.g.. case mark and definiteness); types of annexation (proper vs. improper annexation); the separation of the annexation components; the deletion of the mudaf or the mudaf'ilayhi; the syntactic components that can function as mudaf or as mudaf 'ilayhi.