Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 19، number In Volume 2، May 2026 ، issue Number 120

Formalistic Analysis of Semantic and Syntactic Defamiliarization in the Ghazals of Saib Tabrizi

Arezo Yasami , Abdollah Hasanzadeh Mirali (Author in Charge)

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The concept of “Defamiliarization” in Russian Formalism is a fundamental strategy designed to evade the automatization of language and prolong the process of perception. Saib Tabrizi, as the most prominent representative of the Indian Style (Sabk-e Hendi), employed this literary device to establish and consolidate his “fresh style” (Tarz-e Taze). The present study investigates how Saib, by utilizing the technique of defamiliarization at both the semantic and syntactic levels, has foregrounded his poetic language and consistently challenges the audience’s perception.

METHODOLOGY: This qualitative research is conducted using a descriptive-analytical method based on a Formalist approach. The research corpus is restricted to the poems within the book Two Hundred and One Ghazals of Saib (selected by Dr. Amirbanou Karimi). Poetic evidence was extracted using a “purposive sampling” method based on four specific criteria: the density of literary devices, the simultaneous presence of syntactic and semantic innovations, thematic diversity, and the avoidance of non-artistic obscurity. The extracted data was subsequently subjected to content analysis.

FINDINGS: The evidence demonstrates that on the semantic axis, Saib transforms everyday reality into poetic reality by shattering conditioned binary oppositions and objectifying abstract concepts. Furthermore, on the syntactic axis, he employs linguistic deviation through the unconventional displacement of sentence elements (such as postponing the subject or fronting the verbs), thereby disrupting the linear reading chain and creating suspense.

CONCLUSION: Saib’s innovations are not mere verbal ornamentation; rather, they serve as a purposeful mechanism intended to “delay the audience’s perception.” The organic unity of form and content, coupled with the synergy between syntactic and semantic defamiliarization, ensures that the geometry of the words accurately illustrates the hidden meaning of the verse—an approach that has significantly elevated the expressive capacity of the Persian language within the Indian Style.

Keyword
Defamiliarization , Russian Formalism , Semantic and Syntactic Techniques , Saib Tabrizi’s Poetry , Indian Style