Linguist Forum
Specializations => Phonetics and Phonology => Topic started by: alm-alr on February 11, 2015, 06:30:32 AM
-
Arabic Pharyngealized form of r- phoneme !!!
I have seen an important Arabic video concerning the r-phoneme and its allophones and want to drop a topic, about it …before that you should know that Arab and Muslims give unlimited ,ultimate care to Qur'an reciting correctly as it was recited by the first generations where Qur'an was revealed .The way of “correct “recitation “ of Qur'an is called “Tajweed” (literally means perfect recitation ) and the way of pronouncing even single phoneme or consonants blend must be done correctly , The principles of Tajweed were conveyed from one generation to the next , through written documents.
Here is a video from Dr.Swed one of the authorized Tajweed teachers ( He has PhD in Arabic Language ) explaining the way of pronunciation of r- phoneme .He tells us that according to “the old documents concerning Qur'an Tajweed we have two kinds of 'r' one is called “ Mufexxam “ in other words 'emphatic; , or heavy ' which comes in 8 cases or positions of Quran recitation , the other is called “Muraqqeqeh :soft ,thin ,tender or maybe light ,and it happens to come in 4 positions .This depends on the position of 'r' in the word and its surroundings letters ….etc and there are only 2 cases which 'r' can be pronounced in either way.
The picture herewith shows the tongue shape and position in case of “r- Mufaxxam” to the right , while “r-Mureqqaqeh “ to the left . He said precisely that although both 'r's articulated from the same point , but with Mufaxxam the tongue takes a special concave shape and in the same time the epiglottis retracts and thus constrict the pharynx.
One serious conclusion can be built on his explanation :
Other than the non-emphatic (r) ,,,the emphatic 'r' has two components :Primary one due to known normal point of of articulation of 'r' , other is secondary and it's due to Pharynx constriction.
Don't you think that this is some kind Pharyngealization of 'r' and with this then it is is no longer Sonorant but obstruent ,since Sonorants contrast with obstruents....It also mean that Pharyngealization is also common in Ar. even with 'r' not only with some emphatics like [ð̣] which is written also as [[ðʕ] in Arabic ظ?
Arabic speaking Video for the above-said lecture of Dr. Swed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDnCD15YDvM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDnCD15YDvM)
Another “English speaking video ' explaining the positions where 'r' must be
pronounced as emphatic and the positions where it must be pronounced as non-emphatic .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiArjkrqpOw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiArjkrqpOw)