Suffix Diversity and Arabic Language Phonological Typology

Abstract

The complexities of Arabic phonology have been documented in detail in particular in the dialectological and theoretical phonological traditions. In this paper we argue for the incorporation of a third perspective into Arabic linguistics, an Arabic-internal typological perspective. Eleven geographically representative dialects are compared along a common parameter, the structure of simple CaCaC nouns and verbs, followed by the addition of first one, then two suffixes. The suffixes are either identical across the noun/verb categories or are closely parallel. These basic structures are treated descriptively, and in addition two quantified indices, a paradigm diversity index and a consistency index are developed to facilitate a comparative overview. The phonological parameters are fundamental to Arabic: the treatment of short stressed/unstressed vowels in open syllables, constraints on CCC sequences or trisyllabic syncope for instance. What emerges is a cline of increasing phonological complexity as one, then two suffixes are added. Most striking, however, is the role played by morphophonology in informing the ever increasing degree of variation among the eleven dialects. Arabic syllabic phonology and morphophonology emerges as paradoxically at one and the same time, parsimonious and complex. A very few phonological rules produce a very high degree of contrastive forms among the eleven dialects.