Regressive voicing assimilation in Cairene Arabic
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Rawiah S. Kabrah
Abstract
Cairene Arabic licenses voicing contrast in obstruents in most positions. However, within sequences all obstruents must agree in voicing. In clusters of obstruents, the voicing of the first obstruent assimilates to that of the second. This paper presents an account of regressive voicing assimilation, as well as the arguments that the feature [voice] must be binary in this language. This paper considers the role of guttural consonants in voicing assimilation. The major finding is that guttural sounds fall into two classes: some gutturals pattern with sonorant consonants, while other gutturals participate in voicing assimilation.
Abstract
Cairene Arabic licenses voicing contrast in obstruents in most positions. However, within sequences all obstruents must agree in voicing. In clusters of obstruents, the voicing of the first obstruent assimilates to that of the second. This paper presents an account of regressive voicing assimilation, as well as the arguments that the feature [voice] must be binary in this language. This paper considers the role of guttural consonants in voicing assimilation. The major finding is that guttural sounds fall into two classes: some gutturals pattern with sonorant consonants, while other gutturals participate in voicing assimilation.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Editors’ Introduction ix
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Part I. Phonetics & phonology
- Empirical evidence 3
- Regressive voicing assimilation in Cairene Arabic 21
- The phonology–syntax interface: 35
- Leading, linking, and closing tones and tunes in Egyptian Arabic – what a simple intonation system tells us about the nature of intonation 57
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Part II. Morphology & syntax
- Arabic agree, silent pronouns, and reciprocals 77
- Mood feature as case licenser in Modern Standard Arabic 127
- Extraction and deletion in Palestinian Arabic comparatives 149
- The verb kan ‘be’ in Moroccan Arabic 167
- Against the split-CP hypothesis 187
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Part III. Language acquisition, learning & contact
- Probability matching in Arabic and Romance morphology 205
- Gender differences in VOT production of Arabic/English bilingual children 245
- Phonological processing in diglossic Arabic 269
- Early acquisition of SVO and VSO word orders in Palestinian Colloquial Arabic 281
- Index 293
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Editors’ Introduction ix
-
Part I. Phonetics & phonology
- Empirical evidence 3
- Regressive voicing assimilation in Cairene Arabic 21
- The phonology–syntax interface: 35
- Leading, linking, and closing tones and tunes in Egyptian Arabic – what a simple intonation system tells us about the nature of intonation 57
-
Part II. Morphology & syntax
- Arabic agree, silent pronouns, and reciprocals 77
- Mood feature as case licenser in Modern Standard Arabic 127
- Extraction and deletion in Palestinian Arabic comparatives 149
- The verb kan ‘be’ in Moroccan Arabic 167
- Against the split-CP hypothesis 187
-
Part III. Language acquisition, learning & contact
- Probability matching in Arabic and Romance morphology 205
- Gender differences in VOT production of Arabic/English bilingual children 245
- Phonological processing in diglossic Arabic 269
- Early acquisition of SVO and VSO word orders in Palestinian Colloquial Arabic 281
- Index 293
