A Formalistic Analysis of Mystical Language Foundations and Outcomes

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• sayyed Ali Asghar Mir-Bagheri Fard
• masood Algooneh Juneghani

10.22067/jls.v43i3.9347

Abstract

Mystical language has always been one of the most prominent fields of investigation since the very beginning of its evolution. It has also been taken deep into account not only by the mystics, but also by the researchers concerned. After the flourishing of theorising in the 20th century, and the emergence of the theory of Formalism, due to its analytical and scientific strength, many researchers expressed interest in using the Formalism theory in various fields. Hence, a formalistic analysis of mystical language might be able to show how language functions in specific fields including Islamic mysticism. Though clear-cut and scientific it is, formalistic analysis of mysticism in-deliberately closes its eyes upon a multitude of facts. Ignoring such facts, in turn, might lead to a lack of understanding of what mysticism actually is, and therefore reduces it to a mere linguistic phenomenon. This article tries to have a basic understanding of what formalists might call literariness along with a critical analysis of its application in the field of mysticism. Essentially, the methodology applied here is of a structural nature. This methodology focuses upon the single components of language and tries to find out how such components constitute a meaningful proposition in a mystical context, accordingly.

Key words: Mystical language, theory of Formalism, Jacobsen, mystical experience and interpretation, proposition.

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