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Selected Works of AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies
Article
The Quranic Conditionally Pharyngealized Sounds: An Optimality Theory Perspective
AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies (2021)
  • Fatima Abdullah Almousa & Faisal M. Al-Mohanna, Arab Soecity of English Language Studies
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Abstract
This paper investigates the Qur’ānic conditionally pharyngealized sounds which are /rʕ/, /l/, and /a:/. The Qur’ānic /rʕ/ sound undergoes a depharyngealization process. The Qur’ānic /l/ sound in the word Allah, on the other hand, exhibits pharyngealization, as does the Qur’ānic /a:/ sound. Hence, the study aims to provide a thorough examination of these phonological processes within the Optimality Theory framework. The study also attempts to answer the following questions: (1) What constraints are considered to account for the pharyngealization of the Qur’ānic sounds /l/ and /a:/ and the depharyngealization of the Qur’ānic sound /rʕ/ in the Holy Qur’ān? and (2) How does the grammar rank these constraints to achieve the pharyngealization of the Qur’ānic sounds /l/ and /a:/ and the depharyngealization of the Qur’ānic sound /rʕ/ in the Holy Qur’ān? Both questions have been fully addressed. In addition, this study has proven that the pharyngealized /rʕ/ is the underlying representation of the Qur’ānic alveolar trill sound. This was achieved by demonstrating [rʕ] and [r] allophones environments. Also, the study has shown that the pharyngealized [lʕ] and the non-pharyngealized [l] in the word Allah are comparable to the dark /l/ in English. The Qur’anic /a:/ acquires the [RTR] feature from the preceding pharyngealized sound where it spreads its [RTR] feature rightward to the /a:/. The study concludes that the constraint-based analysis could provide a plausible accounted for examining these phonological processes in the Holy Qur’ān.
Keywords
  • Pharyngealization,
  • Depharyngealization,
  • Optimality Theory,
  • The Holy Qur’ān,
  • Tajweed
Disciplines
Publication Date
August 15, 2021
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awejtls/vol5no3.10
Citation Information
Fatima Abdullah Almousa & Faisal M. Al-Mohanna. "The Quranic Conditionally Pharyngealized Sounds: An Optimality Theory Perspective" AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies Vol. 5 Iss. 3 (2021) p. 124 - 150 ISSN: 2550-1542
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/awejfortranslation-literarystudies/300/