Analysis of Cultural Semantics, Narrative or Its Inappropriate Application to Qur’anic Studies

Cultural semantics is a method based on the social role of language. This theory was formed on the basis of language relativity. This pattern originated from the context of historical linguistics and constructionism and appeared in the framework of role-oriented semantics. According to this theory, linguistic meaning has a deep connection with the culture of each society and is the intellectual representation and worldview of that society. Ethno-linguistic theory had a serious effect on European and American semantics. This research aims to review and evaluate the foundations and methods of cultural semantics, as well as the validity or invalidity of its application to the semantics of the Qur’an. The method of this research is to analyze the findings based on consolidated sources. This investigation reveals that the ethno-cultural method lacks validity in terms of theoretical foundations, and in terms of comprehensiveness, it does not cover all the semantic elements of a text, especially the revelation of the Qur’an. Therefore, it cannot be a valid model for understanding whole semantic levels and purposes of the Qur’an.