Argumentative Structures in Ottoman Correspondences and Documents in Algeria from 1515 to 1827

Several reasons have motivated our research on this topic, among which the most prominent are:

Introducing Ottoman correspondence and documents written during the Ottoman presence in Algeria, by clarifying their subjects, objectives, and purposes.Revealing the linguistic structures that governed these correspondences, explaining their linguistic, stylistic, and even literary mechanisms.Analyzing the argumentative structures underlying the various correspondences exchanged between sultans, emirs, beys, and other officials.Examining the mechanisms of argumentation in the correspondence and documents produced during the Ottoman period in Algeria, and assessing their persuasive effectiveness among princes, sultans, and leaders, as well as their impact on relationships, revolts, and wars.

Although some studies have addressed this subject from historical, legal, political, or other perspectives, this work approaches it from a different angle, taking Ottoman correspondence and documents as a corpus to uncover their dimensions and argumentative functions, which persuaded recipients to achieve the objectives for which these documents were designed.

Consequently, we may ask: What are the argumentative structures upon which these correspondences and documents were based? What are the argumentative mechanisms and techniques they employed to fulfill their various persuasive functions?

Thus, this research leads us to study historical aspects and compare them with the perspective of argumentation theory, based on the information contained in the corpus itself, enabling analyses and conclusions that may differ from what is explicitly presented in the correspondences and documents.

1. Comparative analytical method :

Collect Ottoman correspondences and documents, organize them, and compare them to their equivalents. This involves visiting manuscript centers such as: the Archives Center in Algiers, El Hamma Library, or Topkapi and Eski Dar Libraries in Istanbul, which house such corpora, as well as contacting local administrations or individuals who possess historical documents and correspondence from this period.This method relies on studying the phenomenon as it exists in reality, with precise description using either qualitative or quantitative approaches. The qualitative approach describes the phenomenon and clarifies its characteristics, while the quantitative approach presents it through numbers and tables, showing its scale and its connections to other phenomena.

2. Descriptive-inductive method :

Study these correspondences and documents to extract the mechanisms of argumentation and persuasion, examine their persuasive and affective content, and observe the cultural and literary context in which they circulated. The study is conducted using an academic descriptive-inductive methodology according to the principles of argumentation theory.Classify and inventory the documents in a dedicated appendix or corpus, accessible to researchers and academics, allowing them to extract knowledge and themes related to history, culture, language, and writing, relying on systems of tabulation and evaluation.