Argumentation theory in English and Arabic

Abstract EN

Argumentation Theory provides theoretical and methodological foundation of understanding how to use various types of discourse as a means of convincing others.

It seems that this theory does not confine itself to English only: it has its roots in various cultures such as Arabic.

Thus, this paper is an attempt to trace this theory in both contexts in order to find out the similarities and differences between them.

The findings of contrasting the two theories reveal that the two theories are more similar than they are different.

They are similar in: basing on rhetoric, adopting the pragmatic argument, stylistic techniques, and law of utility.

They are different in some stylistic techniques such as cautiousness, supplementation, accomplishment, contrajunction, and increasing or decreasing words.

Being more similar, can be taken as an evidence that English theory developed from the Arabic one.