The Function of the “Magic of Vicinity” in the Titles of Technical and Complex Prose Works

The magic of proximity has been a crucial and determining factor in examining the linguistic and rhetorical impacts on the intellectual perspective of Iranians throughout history. This rhetorical technique is so powerful that it has sometimes influenced the historical and cultural destiny of Iranians. The impact of the magic of proximity occurs through foregrounding at the level of speech. Throughout the literary history of Iran, authors have always tried to persuade their audience by relying on this influential factor. The gateway to texts is their titles; hence, this foregrounding is intensely evident in the titles of works, especially in artistic prose. This study, using a descriptive-analytical method, demonstrates the magic of proximity in nineteen titles of artistic and ornate prose. The theoretical basis of the present study is the theories discussed in Kurosh Safavi’s book From Linguistics to Literature, which considers literariness as a result of rule-making and balance in the surface structure of language. This rule-making and balance lead to the magic of proximity in the titles of works, which, besides creating beauty, encourage readers to study the works through auditory and visual pleasure and ultimately lead to a sense of persuasion in the audience.