Intertextuality in Civil Law Texts: An Analytical Study

Abstract

Intertextuality refers to the relationship between one text and another, or the reference of one text within the framework of another. It is based on the notion that no text exists in isolation, as every text is inherently connected to other texts, either through ideas, structures, or language. In this sense, every existing text is influenced by, or dependent on, prior texts. In Arabic, various terms are used to convey the concept of intertextuality, such as textualism, intertextuality, and textual interaction, all of which refer to the same fundamental idea. The term “intertextuality” was first fully articulated by the French-Bulgarian philosopher Julia Kristeva, who is regarded as the pioneer of this modern concept. Kristeva introduced this term in her works by linking it to the concept of idéologème, which refers to a synthetic unit within a text that contributes to its overall meaning and structure. According to Kristeva, intertextuality represents "the intersection within a text of expressions taken from other texts.