The language of the Arab is a vectorial language. Syntax, semantics and composition of the grammatical phrases go beyond simple juxtaposing of the letters and words, an intricate vector-like construction of entities pointing at each other.

One of the finest examples is that of ‘Iyya:

Click on the blue nodes to see examples, mouse-over verse numbers in Red.

1. ‘Iyya-Ka : Point at a person in front of you

2. ‘Iyya-Hu: Point at a person in a distance

3. ‘Iyya-Ya: Point at your own self

4. ‘Iyya-Na: Point at an ensemble of people with yourself at their midst

5. ‘Iyya-Hum: Point at a group of people at a distance

6. ‘Iyya-Kum: Point at a group of people in front of you

 

Lisanul Arab
‘Iyy is a name for directionality.

لسان العرب  ابن منظور
أَيّ
فإِنه جعل أَيّ اسماً للجهة، فلما اجتمع فيه التعريف والتأْنيث منعه الصرف،

Isfahani (Mufradat)
‘Iyy is a word that delivers a notice that what follows it is the explanation of what preceded it.

مفردات ألفاظ القرآن.  – للأصفهاني
كتاب الألف
أي
-كلمة ينبه بها أن ما يذكر بعدها شرح وتفسير لما قبلها.

Imagine you meet a beloved of yours after long absence, you are speechless and finding it difficult to utter words but your hands stretch pointing at the direction of your beloved. By this pointing you could mean myriad of meanings and intentions and emotions:

Halabi

Those who said ‘Iyya is Dhamir i.e. a reference to something else, are of four opinions:

1. ‘Iyya-Ka as a unit is reference (Dhamir)

2. ‘Iyya is a reference (Dhamir) and what comes after is Mudhaf ‘Ilaih (Annexed), an addition elucidate what is meant by this ‘Iyya in terms of conversation and modalities of addressing (Khitab)

3. ‘Iyya is a reference (Dhamir) and what comes after is just explanation of its meaning

4. ‘Iyya is ‘Imad (Pillar) and what comes after is reference (Dhamir)

‘Imad: Disconnected reference (Dhamir) partitioning between the Mubtada’ (Beginning) and Khabar (Information about the Mubtada’) e.g. Zaid Huwa Karim where ‘Zaid’ is Mubtada’ the beginning concept of the sentence (the core concept) and ‘Karim’ (Benevolent) is information about the beginning of the sentence (Mubtada’) all the while ‘Huwa’ (He or Him) contrasts the Mubtada’ from Khabar by coming as a disconnection between them. (Ref: Arabic Grammatical Nomenclature Antoin Al-Dahdah)

الدر المصون
الحلبي
والقائلونَ بأنه ضميرٌ اختلفوا فيه على أربعةِ أقوال، أحدُها: أنه كلَّه ضميرٌ. والثاني: أن: “إيَّا” وحدَه ضميرٌ وما بعده اسمٌ مضافٌ إليه يُبَيِّنُ ما يُراد به من تكلمٍ وغَيْبَةٍ وخطاب، وثالثُها: أن “إيَّا” وحدَه ضميرٌ وما بعدَه حروفُ تُبَيِّنُ ما يُراد به. ورابعها: أنَّ “إيَّا” عمادٌ وما بعده هو الضمير، وشَذَّت إضافتُه إلى الظاهرِ في قولهم: “إذا بلغ الرجلُ الستين فإياه وإيَّا الشَوابِّ” بإضافة “إيا” إلى الشَوابِّ، وهذا يؤيِّد قولَ مَنْ جَعَلَ الكافَ والهاءَ والياءَ في محل جرٍّ إذا قلت: إياك إياه إياي.

Remark 1: Dhamir is not translated as pronoun rather in a more general verbiage of a Reference or you might say even pointer referencing an entity. This is so since the examples like ‘Iyya are not the usual personal pronouns and thus a separate verbiage is necessary to separate the personal pronouns from more general pronouns of the language of Arab. 

الدر المصون
الحلبي

وقد أَبْعَدَ بعضُ النحويين فَجَعَل له اشتقاقاً، ثم قال: هل هو مشتقٌ من “أَوّ” كقول الشاعر:
ـ فَأَوِّ لذِكْراها إذا ما ذَكَرْتُها
أو من “آية” كقوله:
ـ لم يُبْقِ هذا الدهرُ من آيائِهِ
وهل وزنه إفْعَل أو فَعيل أو فَعُول ثم صَيَّره التصريف إلى صيغة إيَّا؟ وهذا الذي ذكره هذا القائل لا يُجْدِي فائدةً، مع أنَّ التصريف والاشتقاق لا يَدْخلان في المتوغِّل في البناء.