Introduction to Arabic Linguistics

A comprehensive introduction to the linguistic fundamentals of modern Arabic, ideal for Arabic language learners as well as speakers interested in developing a richer understanding of language use and behavior
 
Introduction to Arabic Linguistics presents a clear and engaging overview of the core linguistic aspects of modern Arabic, focusing on Modern Standard Arabic and Levantine Arabic. Designed to be welcoming for undergraduates without fluency in Arabic and for students with only limited familiarity with linguistics, this textbook covers all fundamental areas of Arabic linguistics. Detailed yet accessible chapters include comprehension and analysis questions, critical thinking exercises, application examples with authentic data, reading assignments, and classroom and homework projects.
 
This valuable textbook is organized into three units which cover sounds and sound systems, word structure and meaning, and phrases and phrase structure. Author Youssef Haddad draws from both the Arabic grammatical tradition and recent linguistic research to provide students with a solid foundation in the linguistic features and structures of Arabic sounds, words, and phrases. Topics include phonological processes, derivational morphology, noun and verb phrases, sentence structure, structural ambiguity, and more.
* Discusses key topics in the formal study of Arabic linguistics, suitable for Arabic speakers and language learners
* Encourages students to investigate a dialect not covered in the book at different levels of linguistic analysis
* Answers many of the most common and relevant questions in the field of Arabic linguistics
* Includes a typological and historical overview of the Arabic language
* Offers an instructor's website with additional exercises, practice questions, PowerPoint presentations, and answer keys
 
Introduction to Arabic Linguistics is the perfect textbook for undergraduates in modern language and linguistic courses and a valuable resource for graduate students in Arabic studies or linguistics programs.

List of contents

Preface xi
 
Acknowledgments xiv
 
Abbreviations xv
 
Glossary xvi
 
About the Companion Website xxvii
 
1 Arabic: An Insider's Perspective 1
 
1.1 My Experience with Arabic 4
 
1.2 My Experience with Other Languages 10
 
1.3 About this Book 12
 
Further Reading 13
 
PART I Arabic Sounds and Sound Systems 15
 
2 Speech Sounds: An Overview 17
 
2.1 Production of Speech Sounds 18
 
2.2 The International Phonetic Alphabet 21
 
2.3 The Arabic Writing System 23
 
2.4 Conclusion 27
 
Further Reading 27
 
3 Arabic Consonants and Vowels 28
 
3.1 Modern Standard Arabic Consonants 28
 
3.1.1 Place of Articulation 29
 
3.1.1.1 Bilabial Consonants 29
 
3.1.1.2 Labiodental Consonants 32
 
3.1.1.3 Interdental Consonants 33
 
3.1.1.4 Alveolar Consonants 34
 
3.1.1.5 Palatal Consonants 36
 
3.1.1.6 Velar Consonants 37
 
3.1.1.7 Uvular Consonants 38
 
3.1.1.8 Pharyngeal Consonants 39
 
3.1.1.9 Glottal Consonants 40
 
3.1.2 Voicing 41
 
3.1.3 Manner of Articulation 42
 
3.1.3.1 Oral Stops 42
 
3.1.3.2 Nasal Stops 45
 
3.1.3.3 Fricatives 45
 
3.1.3.4 Liquids 49
 
3.1.3.5 Glides 50
 
3.2 Modern Standard Arabic Vowels 52
 
3.3 Modern Standard Arabic Sounds: Putting it all Together 56
 
3.4 Levantine Arabic Sounds 59
 
3.4.1 Levantine Arabic Consonants 60
 
3.4.2 Levantine Arabic Vowels 62
 
3.4.3 Levantine Arabic Sounds: Putting it all Together 62
 
3.5 Conclusion 67
 
Further Reading 67
 
4 Arabic Syllable Structure and Stress 69
 
4.1 Syllable Structure in Modern Standard Arabic 70
 
4.2 Stress in Modern Standard Arabic 80
 
4.3 Syllable Structure and Stress in Levantine Arabic 84
 
4.4 Conclusion 90
 
Further Reading 90
 
5 Arabic Sound System 91
 
5.1 Minimal Pairs and Phonemes vs. Allophones 93
 
5.2 Phonological Derivation 97
 
5.2.1 Assimilation 97
 
5.2.2 Epenthesis 108
 
5.2.3 Syncope and Vowel Shortening 114
 
5.2.4 Ordering of Rules 116
 
5.3 Conclusion 117
 
Further Reading 118
 
PART II Arabic Words: Their Structure and Meaning 119
 
6 Arabic Morphology: An Overview 121
 
6.1 Agglutination 122
 
6.2 Interdigitation: Root-and-Pattern Morphology 128
 
6.3 Conclusion 133
 
Further Reading 133
 
7 Arabic Verbs: Form and Meaning 134
 
7.1 Modern Standard Arabic Verbs 134
 
7.2 Pattern I: C1VC2VC3 or fa?al-a/fa?il-a/fa?ul-a 141
 
7.3 Augmented Patterns II through X 146
 
7.3.1 Patterns II and V: fa??al-a and tafa??al-a 147
 
7.3.2 Patterns III and VI: fa??al-a - tafa??al-a 150
 
7.3.3 Patterns IV and X: "af?al-a - staf?al-a 154
 
7.3.4 Patterns VII and VIII: nfa?al-a - fta?al-a 158
 
7.3.5 Patterns I-VIII, X: Looking at Them Together! 160
 
7.3.6 Patterns IX: f?all-a 163
 
7.3.7 Verb Patterns: A Word of Caution 164
 
7.4 Levantine Arabic Verbs 165
 
7.4.1 Verb Conjugation in Levantine Arabic 166
 
7.4.2 LA Pattern I Verbs 169
 
7.4.3 LA Pattern II 170
 
7.4.4 LA Pattern III 173
 
7.4.5 LA Pattern IV 174
 
7.4.6 LA Pattern V 177
 
7.4.7 LA Pattern VI 178
 
7.4.8 LA Pattern VII 180
 
7.4.9 LA Pattern VIII 181
 
7.4.10 LA Pattern X 182
 
7.4.11 LA Pattern IX 184
 
7.5 Conclusion 184
 

About the author

YOUSSEF A. HADDAD is a Professor of Arabic Language and Linguistics at the University of Florida. His research covers topics in syntax, pragmatics, phonology, and prosodic morphology. He is the author of two books, Control into Conjunctive Participle Clauses: The Case of Assamese and The Sociopragmatics of Attitude Datives in Levantine Arabic, and the co-editor of volumes XXVIII and XXXI of Perspectives on Arabic Linguistics.

Summary

A comprehensive introduction to the linguistic fundamentals of modern Arabic, ideal for Arabic language learners as well as speakers interested in developing a richer understanding of language use and behavior

Introduction to Arabic Linguistics presents a clear and engaging overview of the core linguistic aspects of modern Arabic, focusing on Modern Standard Arabic and Levantine Arabic. Designed to be welcoming for undergraduates without fluency in Arabic and for students with only limited familiarity with linguistics, this textbook covers all fundamental areas of Arabic linguistics. Detailed yet accessible chapters include comprehension and analysis questions, critical thinking exercises, application examples with authentic data, reading assignments, and classroom and homework projects.

This valuable textbook is organized into three units which cover sounds and sound systems, word structure and meaning, and phrases and phrase structure. Author Youssef Haddad draws from both the Arabic grammatical tradition and recent linguistic research to provide students with a solid foundation in the linguistic features and structures of Arabic sounds, words, and phrases. Topics include phonological processes, derivational morphology, noun and verb phrases, sentence structure, structural ambiguity, and more.
* Discusses key topics in the formal study of Arabic linguistics, suitable for Arabic speakers and language learners
* Encourages students to investigate a dialect not covered in the book at different levels of linguistic analysis
* Answers many of the most common and relevant questions in the field of Arabic linguistics
* Includes a typological and historical overview of the Arabic language
* Offers an instructor's website with additional exercises, practice questions, PowerPoint presentations, and answer keys

Introduction to Arabic Linguistics is the perfect textbook for undergraduates in modern language and linguistic courses and a valuable resource for graduate students in Arabic studies or linguistics programs.

Report

"Introduction to Arabic Linguistics by Youssef Haddad is the finest such discussion I have seen of how educated speakers of Arabic experience the linguistics situation of the Arab world, characterized by Arabic diglossia and multilingualism. This book is far richer and more detailed in its treatment of the topics considered in many regards than earlier similar publications. Given its depth and theoretically framed discussion, it is also more useful in many regards than standard reference grammars--a different genre of work, of course--that may ultimately contain more detail but do not seek to demonstrate the underlying systematicity of the language."
 
--Keith Walters, Professor Emeritus of Applied Linguistics, Portland State University

Product details

• Authors: HADDAD, Y Haddad, Youssef Haddad, Youssef A Haddad, Youssef A. Haddad, Youssef A. (University of Florida) Haddad
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 28.02.2023
• EAN: 9781119787563
• ISBN: 978-1-119-78756-3
• No. of pages: 432
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative linguistics; Non-fiction book > Dictionaries, reference works > Phrase books; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Sociological theories; Linguistik, Fremdsprachen, Linguistics, Arabisch /Sprache, Sprachwissenschaften, Foreign languages, Allg. Sprachwissenschaften, Spezialthemen Sprachwissenschaften, Linguistics Special Topics, Foreign Languages Special Topics, Spezialthemen Fremdsprachen