A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic

Lahcene Benyagoub

doi:doi:10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12

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A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic

Lahcene Benyagoub

Published in Arabic Language, Literature & Culture (Volume 2, Issue 2)

Received: 2 March 2017 Accepted: 27 March 2017 Published: 24 April 2017

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Abstract

Unlike the phonological analyses that characterize syllables in terms of onsets and rhymes, a moraically-oriented approach counts the number of beats or timing units (moras) present within the syllable. This counting ability makes this model superior to previous ones as it has the power to scan and relate the elements immediately dominated by the moras [1], [2], [3]. Taking into account extra prosodic syllables, a monomoraic syllable is light whereas a bimoraic syllable is heavy. In other words, open, short-vowelled syllables are monomoraic (σμ) or light, whereas closed and long-vowelled syllables are bimoraic (σμμ) or heavy. The current study shows the importance of adopting a moraic model of the syllable to describe and explain morpho-phonological processes. More specifically, it demonstrates that the incorporation of the mora as an essential constituent of the syllable can account for phonological phenomena in Bechar Arabic (BA), namely 'the Lengthening and Shortening of vowels in a specific morphological context.' We argue that the inclusion of the mora as a syllabic component simplifies the description and the explanation of prosodic phenomena of Bechar Arabic.

Published in	Arabic Language, Literature & Culture (Volume 2, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12
Page(s)	40-48
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

The Mora, The Syllable, Vowel Lengthening, Vowel Shortening, Bechar Arabic

References

[1]	McCarthy, J. J., and Prince, A. (1986). “Prosodic Morphology.” University of Massachusetts and Brandeis University.
[2]	McCarthy, J. J., & Prince, A. (1988). Prosodic Morphology and Templatic Morphology. Unpublished manuscript, University of Massachusetts and Brandeis University.
[3]	Hyman, Larry. M. (1985). A Theory of Phonological Weight. Dodrecht: Foris.
[4]	Bat - El, Outi. (2003). Semitic Verb Structure within a Universal Perspective. In Shimron 2003a, pp. 29-59.
[5]	Blevins, J. (1995). The Syllable in Phonological Theory. Handbook of phonological theory, ed. John Goldsmith, Basil Blackwell, London, 206-44. [Reprinted in C. W. Kreidler 2001 (ed.), Phonology: Critical Concepts, Volume 3. London: Routledge. 75-113.
[6]	Hayes, Bruce. (1989). Compensatory Lengthening in moraic phonology. Linguistic Inquiry 20, pp. 253-306. The MIT Press.
[7]	Broselow, E. (1995). Skeletal position and moras. The handbook of phonological theory, ed. John A. Goldsmith, pp. 175-205. Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell.
[8]	Farwaneh, Samira (1995). Directionalty effects in Arabic dialect syllable structure. Ph. D. Dissertation, University of Utah.
[9]	Hayes, Bruce (1995). Metrical Stress Theory: Principles and Case Studies. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
[10]	Wilkinson, Karina (1988). Prosodic Structure and Lardil Phonology. Linguistic Inquiry, 19, 25-34. Marc van Oostendorp: Blackwell.
[11]	Cairns, C. E. & M. H. Feinstein (1982). Markedness and the theory of syllable structure. Linguistic Inquiry 13, 193-226. The MIT Press.
[12]	Itô, J. (1986). Syllable theory in prosodic phonology. Doctoral dissertation, University of Massachussetts, Amherst.
[13]	McCarthy, John and Alan Prince (1993). Prosodic Morphology I: Constraint Interaction and Satisfaction. MIT Press. Technical Report no. 3, Rutgers University, Center for Cognitive Science.
[14]	Prince A. and Paul S. (1993). Optimality Theory: Constraint Interaction in Generative Grammar. Technical Report no. RuCCS-TR-2. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Center for Cognitive Science.
[15]	McCarthy, J. (2003). The Length of Stem-Final Vowels in Colloquial Arabic. Rutgers Optimality Archive. Retrieved October 22, 2006 from http//www. ROE. edu.

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Lahcene Benyagoub. (2017). A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic. Arabic Language, Literature & Culture, 2(2), 40-48. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12

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Lahcene Benyagoub. A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic. Arab. Lang. Lit. Cult. 2017, 2(2), 40-48. doi: 10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12

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Lahcene Benyagoub. A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic. Arab Lang Lit Cult. 2017;2(2):40-48. doi: 10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12

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@article{10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12,
  author = {Lahcene Benyagoub},
  title = {A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic},
  journal = {Arabic Language, Literature & Culture},
  volume = {2},
  number = {2},
  pages = {40-48},
  doi = {10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.allc.20170202.12},
  abstract = {Unlike the phonological analyses that characterize syllables in terms of onsets and rhymes, a moraically-oriented approach counts the number of beats or timing units (moras) present within the syllable. This counting ability makes this model superior to previous ones as it has the power to scan and relate the elements immediately dominated by the moras [1], [2], [3]. Taking into account extra prosodic syllables, a monomoraic syllable is light whereas a bimoraic syllable is heavy. In other words, open, short-vowelled syllables are monomoraic (σμ) or light, whereas closed and long-vowelled syllables are bimoraic (σμμ) or heavy. The current study shows the importance of adopting a moraic model of the syllable to describe and explain morpho-phonological processes. More specifically, it demonstrates that the incorporation of the mora as an essential constituent of the syllable can account for phonological phenomena in Bechar Arabic (BA), namely 'the Lengthening and Shortening of vowels in a specific morphological context.' We argue that the inclusion of the mora as a syllabic component simplifies the description and the explanation of prosodic phenomena of Bechar Arabic.},
 year = {2017}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic
AU  - Lahcene Benyagoub
Y1  - 2017/04/24
PY  - 2017
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12
T2  - Arabic Language, Literature & Culture
JF  - Arabic Language, Literature & Culture
JO  - Arabic Language, Literature & Culture
SP  - 40
EP  - 48
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2639-9695
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12
AB  - Unlike the phonological analyses that characterize syllables in terms of onsets and rhymes, a moraically-oriented approach counts the number of beats or timing units (moras) present within the syllable. This counting ability makes this model superior to previous ones as it has the power to scan and relate the elements immediately dominated by the moras [1], [2], [3]. Taking into account extra prosodic syllables, a monomoraic syllable is light whereas a bimoraic syllable is heavy. In other words, open, short-vowelled syllables are monomoraic (σμ) or light, whereas closed and long-vowelled syllables are bimoraic (σμμ) or heavy. The current study shows the importance of adopting a moraic model of the syllable to describe and explain morpho-phonological processes. More specifically, it demonstrates that the incorporation of the mora as an essential constituent of the syllable can account for phonological phenomena in Bechar Arabic (BA), namely 'the Lengthening and Shortening of vowels in a specific morphological context.' We argue that the inclusion of the mora as a syllabic component simplifies the description and the explanation of prosodic phenomena of Bechar Arabic.
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Lahcene Benyagoub

Department of English, University Ahmed Draia, Adrar, Algeria

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Lahcene Benyagoub. (2017). A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic. Arabic Language, Literature & Culture, 2(2), 40-48. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12

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ACS Style

Lahcene Benyagoub. A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic. Arab. Lang. Lit. Cult. 2017, 2(2), 40-48. doi: 10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12

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AMA Style

Lahcene Benyagoub. A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic. Arab Lang Lit Cult. 2017;2(2):40-48. doi: 10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12

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@article{10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12,
  author = {Lahcene Benyagoub},
  title = {A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic},
  journal = {Arabic Language, Literature & Culture},
  volume = {2},
  number = {2},
  pages = {40-48},
  doi = {10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.allc.20170202.12},
  abstract = {Unlike the phonological analyses that characterize syllables in terms of onsets and rhymes, a moraically-oriented approach counts the number of beats or timing units (moras) present within the syllable. This counting ability makes this model superior to previous ones as it has the power to scan and relate the elements immediately dominated by the moras [1], [2], [3]. Taking into account extra prosodic syllables, a monomoraic syllable is light whereas a bimoraic syllable is heavy. In other words, open, short-vowelled syllables are monomoraic (σμ) or light, whereas closed and long-vowelled syllables are bimoraic (σμμ) or heavy. The current study shows the importance of adopting a moraic model of the syllable to describe and explain morpho-phonological processes. More specifically, it demonstrates that the incorporation of the mora as an essential constituent of the syllable can account for phonological phenomena in Bechar Arabic (BA), namely 'the Lengthening and Shortening of vowels in a specific morphological context.' We argue that the inclusion of the mora as a syllabic component simplifies the description and the explanation of prosodic phenomena of Bechar Arabic.},
 year = {2017}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Moraically-Based Model of the Syllable in Bechar Arabic
AU  - Lahcene Benyagoub
Y1  - 2017/04/24
PY  - 2017
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12
T2  - Arabic Language, Literature & Culture
JF  - Arabic Language, Literature & Culture
JO  - Arabic Language, Literature & Culture
SP  - 40
EP  - 48
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2639-9695
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.allc.20170202.12
AB  - Unlike the phonological analyses that characterize syllables in terms of onsets and rhymes, a moraically-oriented approach counts the number of beats or timing units (moras) present within the syllable. This counting ability makes this model superior to previous ones as it has the power to scan and relate the elements immediately dominated by the moras [1], [2], [3]. Taking into account extra prosodic syllables, a monomoraic syllable is light whereas a bimoraic syllable is heavy. In other words, open, short-vowelled syllables are monomoraic (σμ) or light, whereas closed and long-vowelled syllables are bimoraic (σμμ) or heavy. The current study shows the importance of adopting a moraic model of the syllable to describe and explain morpho-phonological processes. More specifically, it demonstrates that the incorporation of the mora as an essential constituent of the syllable can account for phonological phenomena in Bechar Arabic (BA), namely 'the Lengthening and Shortening of vowels in a specific morphological context.' We argue that the inclusion of the mora as a syllabic component simplifies the description and the explanation of prosodic phenomena of Bechar Arabic.
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
ER  -

Copy | Download