An optimality-theoretic analysis of syllable structure in Qassimi Arabic【翻译】

Acknowledgments
This thesis would not have been written without the assistance and encouragement I
received throughout my graduate study in the Linguistics Program at Eastern Michigan
University.
I am indebted, first and foremost, to my thesis advisor, Professor Beverley Goodman, for
sharing her knowledge and expertise with me and for her continuous support of my phonology
study and research. I am extremely grateful to Professor Goodman for her patience, enthusiasm,
and sincere guidance throughout the process of writing this thesis. My research on syllable
structure and related phonological phenomena would not have been pursued and finally
presented in this thesis without her insightful discussions, valuable comments, and helpful
guidance.
I would like also to express my sincere gratitude to the second reader on my thesis
committee, Professor T. Daniel Seely, whose encouragement, stimulating questions, and helpful
discussions have always inspired me and deepened my interest in exploring linguistics research.
My gratitude goes also to the rest of the faculty members in the linguistics program at
EMU, especially my academic advisor, Professor Veronica Grondona, for her efforts in
mentoring and assisting me.
I wish also to acknowledge the support of Professor Christine Neufeld, the director of
graduate studies in the Department of English Language and Literature, who has helped and
motivated me during my graduate studies at EMU.
Furthermore, I would like to recognize the support of Qassim University and the Ministry
of Education in Saudi Arabia for granting me a full scholarship and providing me with this great
opportunity to pursue my master’s degree in linguistics at Eastern Michigan University.
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Finally, I owe my deepest gratefulness to my mother, Danah Al Ajaji, who, despite the
great distance, has always been present during this challenging stage of my life with her love,
support, prayers, and continuous encouragement. I am also thankful to my brothers, sisters, and
friends for their love and spiritual support.
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Abstract
This thesis examines syllable structure in Qassimi Arabic (QA), a Najdi dialect spoken in Al-
Qassim region in Saudi Arabia. Syllable-related phenomena in QA have not been fully addressed
and understood because QA has not received attention in the available literature on syllable
structure within Arabic dialects. Thus, the present study aims to provide an analysis of syllable
structure in QA and to contribute to the current research on Arabic syllable structure. Adopting
the framework of Optimality Theory, this study explores the effect of high vowel deletion on
syllable structure and the treatment of superheavy syllables in QA. Results confirm three main
arguments proposed in this study. First: onset clusters in QA are prohibited. Second: trimoraic
syllables in QA are prohibited. Third: the concept of contiguity, which prevents internal
epenthesis into certain strings, accounts for both the site of the epenthetic vowel and the
existence of non-final CVVC and CVCC syllables.
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Abbreviations
1. Arabic Varieties:
CA Cairene Arabic
CLA Classical Arabic
IA Iraqi Arabic
MA Meccan Arabic
NA Najdi Arabic
QA Qassimi Arabic
TA Tunisian Arabic
2. Constraints:
*[3μ] No trimoraic syllables
*aCV /a/ is not permitted in non-final open syllables
*CODA Codas are not allowed
*COMP-COD Complex codas are not allowed
*COMP-ONS Complex onsets are not allowed
*FINAL-C-μ The final consonant is moraless
*iCV /i/ is not permitted in non-final open syllables
*PLATEAU-N]σ No final (Nasal + Nasal) sequences
*RISE-SON]σ No coda clusters with rising sonority
MAX-A /a/ should not be deleted
NSμ No shared mora
O-CONTIG No internal epenthesis
ONSET Syllables must have an onset
vii
R-L/C- L Left edge consonants are remotely licensed
WBP WEIGHT-BY-POSITION: Coda consonants are moraic
viii
Table of Contents
Dedication ................................................................................................................................ ii
Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................... iii
Abstract .................................................................................................................................... v
Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................... vi
List of Tables .......................................................................................................................... xi
List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ xii
Chapter 1: Introduction and Background ................................................................................. 1
1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1
1.2 Qassimi Arabic: Background ................................................................................. 2
1.2.1 The place of Qassimi Arabic within Arabic dialects ................................. 2
1.2.2 General phonological background of Qassimi Arabic .............................. 5
1.2.3 Notes on data .............................................................................................. 9
1.3 Theoretical Background ...................................................................................... 10
1.3.1 The syllable in phonological theory ......................................................... 10
1.3.2 Syllable structure and syllable weight ..................................................... 13
1.3.3 The syllable in Optimality Theory ........................................................... 16
1.4 Statement of the Problem ..................................................................................... 21
1.5 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................ 22
1.6 Organization of the Thesis ................................................................................... 23
Chapter 2: Literature Review ................................................................................................. 24
2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 24
2.2 Previous Descriptive Studies on Syllable Structure in Qassimi Arabic .............. 26
ix
2.3 High Vowel Deletion and Syllable Structure in Qassimi Arabic ........................ 28
2.4 The Treatment of Word and Phrase-final Coda Clusters ..................................... 36
2.4.1 Background ............................................................................................. 36
2.4.2 Word and phrase-final coda clusters in Qassimi Arabic ......................... 37
2.5 The Treatment of Superheavy Syllables: CVVC and CVCC .............................. 42
2.5.1 Background ............................................................................................. 42
2.5.2 Previous studies on the behavior of superheavy syllables in Arabic
dialects ............................................................................................................. 43
Chapter 3: An OT Analysis of Syllable Structure in Qassimi Arabic ................................... 56
3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 56
3.2 Possible Syllable Types and Their Distribution in Qassimi Arabic .................... 56
3.2.1 Basic syllable types in Qassimi Arabic ................................................... 56
3.2.2 Restricted syllable types in Qassimi Arabic ........................................... 58
3.3 Syllable Weight in Qassimi Arabic ...................................................................... 64
3.4 An OT Analysis of Syllable Structure in Qassimi Arabic ................................... 69
3.4.1 The ranking of basic syllable structure constraints in Qassimi
Arabic ............................................................................................................. 74
3.4.2 High vowel deletion and initial onset clusters in Qassimi
Arabic ............................................................................................................. 77
3.4.3 High vowel deletion and low vowel raising in Qassimi Arabic ............. 80
3.4.4 Final CVVC and CVCC syllables in Qassimi Arabic ............................ 82
3.4.5 Non-final CVVC and CVCC syllables in Qassimi Arabic ..................... 87
3.5 Summary .............................................................................................................. 94
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Chapter 4: Conclusion and Suggestions for Further Research .............................................. 95
References ........................................................................................................................... 100

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