Breakdown of كانت الساحرة جبارة ومكارة في الأسطورة.
الal
the
وwa
and
فيfî
in / about, regarding
كانkâna
to be
ساحرsâhir
magician
أسطورةustûra
legend
جبارjabbâr
mighty
مكارmakkâr
cunning
Questions & Answers about كانت الساحرة جبارة ومكارة في الأسطورة.
How do جبارة and مكارة demonstrate the intensive adjective pattern from this lesson?
Both words are built on the intensive pattern فَعَّال (fa''aal), which emphasizes an extreme degree of a trait. The root of جبارة is ج ب ر (relating to power or compulsion, hence mighty or tyrannical), and the root of مكارة is م ك ر (relating to plotting or deceit, hence highly cunning). They are not occupations here, but exaggerated characteristics.
Is the ـة at the end of جبارة and مكارة just for feminine agreement, or does it add to the exaggeration?
In this sentence, the ـة is simply the standard feminine marker added to agree with the feminine subject, الساحرة (the witch). However, it is a great observation because with the فَعَّال pattern, adding a ـة can sometimes create a hyper-intensive meaning regardless of gender, though that is not its primary function in this specific context.
If I read this sentence aloud with full case endings, what would the endings on the intensive adjectives be?
They would be pronounced as جبارةً (jabbaarat-an) and مكارةً (wa-makkaarat-an). Because they act as the predicate (khabar) of كانت (she was), they must be in the accusative case (mansub), which is marked by the -an ending here.
The word for witch, الساحرة, looks like a standard active participle. Is it functioning as an adjective or a noun here?
الساحرة is indeed formed using the active participle pattern فَاعِل (faacil) from the root س ح ر (to bewitch or enchant). While it literally means the enchanting one, active participles in Arabic frequently function as established standalone nouns for people who perform that action, just like the English word witch or sorceress.
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