Linguistic Analysis of the Pilgrims’ Discourse of Imam Reza(A.S)  Holy Shrine

Sarsarabi, Sharareh Sadat; Zolfaghari, Samaneh

doi:10.22034/farzv.2023.390291.1858

Linguistic Analysis of the Pilgrims’ Discourse of Imam Reza(A.S) Holy Shrine

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Sharareh Sadat Sarsarabi ¹

Samaneh Zolfaghari ²

¹ Assistant professor,Farhangian University,Tehran,Iran

² English Language Dept., Torbet Heydarieh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Torbat Heydarieh, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/farzv.2023.390291.1858

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to analyze the linguistics aspects of the speech of the pilgrims of Imam Reza’s (AS) Holy Shrine. Therefore, the discourse of pilgrimage in the Holy Shrine is examined from two verbal and non-verbal dimensions. The data of this research has been collected by observation method and interviews with 20 Iranian Shia or Sunni pilgrims between the ages of 20 and 60 who visited Imam Reza’s Holy Shrine in the summer of 1400. The sampling method was targeted and available. In this research, first the verbal data were analyzed and then the relationship between the non-verbal gestures of the head, including eyebrow, eye and lip movements, as well as hand and foot movements, with the amount of pilgrims’ emotions was investigated. The results of this research show that in the theological dimension, the motivations for visiting the shrine are both material and spiritual, but the spiritual and spiritual motivations, especially obtaining peace of mind, reward and intercession, are more important and evident. In addition to the sensory and spiritual atmosphere, the pilgrims’ sense of peace and security is involved in the Holy Shrine. Among pilgrims’ non-verbal behaviors, hand gestures have the largest contribution in explaining emotional perception. In other words, pilgrims use non-verbal hand gestures to express their inner feelings and emotions more than other organs. In fact, pilgrims speak with their hand movements. This means that they convey different messages with their different hand movements or establish a more effective communication by using their hands.

Keywords

Linguistic analysis

body language

pilgrim

discourse analysis

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