Consonant clusters in Qassimi Arabic: analysis from optimality theory and sonority principles
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Aseel Al-Aboudi
and
Mohammad Aljutaily
Abstract
Consonant clusters in Qassimi Arabic (QA) exhibit distinct patterns of adherence to and deviation from the Sonority Sequencing Principle (SSP), analyzed here using Optimality Theory (OT). This study identifies three sonority profiles in QA clusters: falling, equal, and rising. While coda clusters generally conform to the SSP, onset clusters often violate it, which OT constraints effectively explain. Rising sonority violations in coda clusters are resolved through vowel epenthesis, whereas falling or equal sonority clusters of two obstruents require no epenthesis. The choice of the epenthetic vowel is influenced by vowel harmony and the place of articulation of adjacent consonants. Additionally, QA clusters reveal unique characteristics regarding minimal sonority distance: zero in coda clusters and (-1) in onset clusters. Through OT, the interplay of markedness and faithfulness constraints determines optimal cluster formation. For QA onset clusters, constraints are ranked as ONS >> SyllCon >> *V(short)]σ >> SSP >> LINEARITY >> Comp-Ons >> MAX-IO >> DEP-IO, while for coda clusters, the ranking is ONS >> *V(short)]σ >> SSP >> *i[-Pahr] >> Comp-Ons >> MAX-IO >> DEP-IO. This research sheds light on SSP violations, vowel epenthesis, and their governance in QA, enriching our understanding of its phonological structure.
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Research ethics: We abide the moral principles that guide us to conduct and report research findings.
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: The authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
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Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.
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Research funding: None declared.
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Data availability: The raw data can be obtained on request from the corresponding author.
Appendix A: Examples of target words for onset consonant clusters
| Input | Output | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ɡu.bu:r | ɡbu:r | Graves |
| si.la:ħ | sla:ħ | A weapon |
| fu.lu:s | flu:s | Money |
| ði.ra:ʕ | ðra:ʕ | An arm |
| dʒu.lu:d | dʒlu:d | Leather |
| ħi.ba:l | ħba:l | Rope |
| ʕi.na:d | ʕna:d | stubbornness |
| laħ.mah | lħa.mah | Meat |
| hu.nu:d | hnu:d | Indians |
| ki.la:b | kla:b | Dogs |
| ba.ɡa.ra | bɡa.rah | Cow |
| tu.ra:b | tra:b | Sand |
| dʒu.nu:dʕ | dʒnu:dʕ | Rims |
| ki.ta:b | kta:b | Book |
| ʤu.ru:ħ | ʤru:ħ | wounds |
| ħi.sˤan | ħsˤan | A horse |
| ɡu.ru:ʃ | ɡru:ʃ | Coins |
| ʃa.ɡa.rh | ʃɡarh | A tree |
| dʒu.nu:d | dʒnu:d | Soldiers |
| ɡa.ra.ʕah | ɡra.ʕah | A pumpkin |
| fi.ra:ʃ | fra:ʃ | A blanket |
| ku.fu:f | kfu:f | Slaps |
Appendix B: Examples of target words for coda consonant clusters
| Input | Output | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Naml | na.mil | ants |
| ðˤimn | ðˤi.min | inclusive |
| Ħusn | ħu.sun | beaty |
| ʔamn | ʔa.min | safety |
| Kasb | kasb | gain |
| Ħaml | ħa.mil | burden |
| Kabd | kabd | liver |
| tʕifl | tʕi.fil | child |
| Faħm | fa.ħam | coal |
| Bard | bard | cold |
| Dafn | Da.fin | bury |
| Kalb | kalb | dog |
| xaʃm | xa.ʃim | nose |
| Ħamd | ħamd | thank |
| Bikr | bi.tsir | first born |
| ʕadʒn | ʕa.dʒin | kneading |
| radʒm | ra.dʒim | throwing stone |
| damdʒ | damdʒ | combine |
| dʒamr | dʒa.mir | embers |
| ʔakl | ʔa.kil | food |
| Tibn | ti.bin | hay |
| Kanz | kanz | treasure |
| ʕidʒl | ʕi.dʒil | calf |
| Ramz | ramz | symbol |
| ʃaʕr | ʃa.ʕar | hair |
| ʕadl | ʕa.dil | justice |
| ħadʒm | ħa.dʒim | size |
| Ħall | ħall | he solved |
| ʕaɡl | ʕa.ɡil | mind |
| fɪrn | firn | oven |
| Ħafl | ħa.fil | party |
| ɡidr | ɡi.dir | pot |
| Nahr | na.har | river |
| ʕazf | ʕazf | playing music |
| Ħabl | ħa.bil | rope |
| Farz | farz | sorting |
| Nadb | nadb | delegation |
| Ħukm | ħu.kum | ruling |
| Raml | ra.mil | sand |
| Baħr | ba.ħar | sea |
| ʃakl | ʃa.kil | shape |
| Barq | barɡ | thunder |
| Qarn | ɡarn | horn |
| Nafs | nafs | soul |
| bandʒ | bandʒ | anaesthesia |
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