Phonation and glottal states in Modern South Arabian and San'ani Arabic
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Janet C.E. Watson
Abstract
This chapter examines phonation categories and glottal states in the Modern South Arabian language, Mehri, as spoken in southern Oman and eastern Yemen with reference also to its sister language, Śḥerɛ̄t, and in San’ani Arabic from an Emergent Features perspective (Mielke, 2008). Within the paper, we consider the extent to which these language varieties may inform research on the phonological categories of the early Arab grammarians. The innovation in this paper lies in addressing the relationship between phonological patterning, phonetics, and distinctive features. We present data to show that voiced and emphatic phonemes pattern together in these varieties in opposition to voiceless phonemes, leading us to postulate a phonological account in terms of two ‘emergent’ laryngeal features [open] and [closed], that draws on Morén’s Parallel Structures model (2003).
Abstract
This chapter examines phonation categories and glottal states in the Modern South Arabian language, Mehri, as spoken in southern Oman and eastern Yemen with reference also to its sister language, Śḥerɛ̄t, and in San’ani Arabic from an Emergent Features perspective (Mielke, 2008). Within the paper, we consider the extent to which these language varieties may inform research on the phonological categories of the early Arab grammarians. The innovation in this paper lies in addressing the relationship between phonological patterning, phonetics, and distinctive features. We present data to show that voiced and emphatic phonemes pattern together in these varieties in opposition to voiceless phonemes, leading us to postulate a phonological account in terms of two ‘emergent’ laryngeal features [open] and [closed], that draws on Morén’s Parallel Structures model (2003).
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgement vii
- Introduction ix
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Phonetics and phonology
- Phonation and glottal states in Modern South Arabian and San'ani Arabic 3
- Examining feature economy in Arabic dialects 37
- L1-English tense-lax vowel system influence on L2-Arabic 63
- On the status of derived affricates in Arabic dialects 89
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Syntax
- On NPIs and QPs in Sason Arabic 107
- Temporal NPIs and NCIs as adverb phrases 129
- Clause structure in contact contexts 153
- The syntax of motion light verbs in Jordanian and Moroccan Arabic 173
- Cyclic Spell-Out Derived Agreement in Arabic Raising Constructions 193
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Sociolinguistics
- (q) as a sociolinguistic variable in the Arabic of Gaza City 229
- Index 247
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgement vii
- Introduction ix
-
Phonetics and phonology
- Phonation and glottal states in Modern South Arabian and San'ani Arabic 3
- Examining feature economy in Arabic dialects 37
- L1-English tense-lax vowel system influence on L2-Arabic 63
- On the status of derived affricates in Arabic dialects 89
-
Syntax
- On NPIs and QPs in Sason Arabic 107
- Temporal NPIs and NCIs as adverb phrases 129
- Clause structure in contact contexts 153
- The syntax of motion light verbs in Jordanian and Moroccan Arabic 173
- Cyclic Spell-Out Derived Agreement in Arabic Raising Constructions 193
-
Sociolinguistics
- (q) as a sociolinguistic variable in the Arabic of Gaza City 229
- Index 247
