Lesson 20

Pronunciation Styles in Arabic

In any language there are several styles of pronunciation. Thus, public speech is characterized by careful, ‘bookish’ pronunciation of each word; fluent everyday speech is characterized by careless pronunciation, ‘swallowing’ of individual syllables (for example, gonna instead of going to, etc.).

In Arabic, the difference in pronunciation styles is particularly evident. In literary Arabic we can distinguish: 1) full, or classical, style, 2) modern literary style, 3) style of fluent speech with an admixture of elements of colloquial language.

Of these three styles, it is most important to master the modern literary style of pronunciation, which is used in radio broadcasting, public speaking, reading aloud literary works, etc.

Meanwhile, in the previous lessons, the students were required to observe the full, or classical, style of pronunciation, which is actually used very rarely: in especially solemn or pompous speech, in recitation, and also at the initial stage of teaching Arabic.

In contrast to this full style, modern literary style is characterized by an incomplete, or ‘apocopic’ (truncated) pronunciation of many words.

Full and apocopic forms of a word

The full form of a word is its pronunciation with all its vowels. The apocopic form of a word is, in most cases, its pronunciation without the final vowel, e.g. /kitāb/ instead of /kitābun/, /katab/ instead of /kataba/, /lah/ instead of /lahu/, and so on.

There are a number of rules for truncating words. The most important of them are as follows:

1. Nouns and adjectives not ending in ة (ta-marbuta) lose their case endings, except for the accusative case ending of the indefinite state indicated by silent alif. The main stress remains in the same place, e.g.:

In the accusative case form of the indefinite state indicated by silent alif, only truncation of the final /n/ is allowed, e.g.:

/kitа̄ba/ كتابًا

2. Nouns and adjectives ending in ة (ta-marbuta) lose all case endings together with the consonant /t/, indicated by the letter ة. The vowel sound /a/ remains at the end of the word, which in careful pronunciation is completed with a very slight aspiration. When truncating such words, the counting of syllables for determining the main stress is as if made anew, as a result of which it may be shifted, for example:

3. Masculine nouns and adjectives in the regular plural in all cases lose the vowel /a/ of the finalnūn without shifting the stress, e.g.:

4. Relative masculine singular adjectives change the ending /-ijjun/ or /-ijju/ to long /ī/. This shifts the main stress in accordance with the changed number of syllables, e.g.:

Another way of truncating these forms is also very common, namely, dropping the final /-jun/ or /-ju/ without shifting the stress, e.g. /χaʃa'bij, ’ar-rū'sij/.

5. Verbs in the past tense in the singular usually lose the final vowel. Verbs in the plural do not have an apocopic form.

6. If there is a fused pronoun at the end of a word, the pronunciation of the case ending is obligatory. Of the fused pronouns themselves, only the pronoun ـهُ, which loses a vowel sound, is truncated, e.g.:

7. The demonstrative pronouns تلك، ذلك، أولئك، هؤلاء and the adverbs امس، هناك lose the final vowel.

8. Words ending in a long vowel, personal pronouns, as well as prepositions, conjunctions, interrogative, negative and other function particles do not have a apocopic form.

9. The apocopic form of words is not reflected in writing.

10. If the truncation of a word results in a closed syllable containing a short [i] or [u] at the end, these vowels undergo the changes discussed in lesson 13, namely, /e/ in place of /i/ and /o/ in place of /u/, for example:

Exercise 1. Pronounce the following words in apocopic form.

Truncation of words in coherent speech

Our speech is not continuous; it is divided into segments of various lengths, between which there are pauses (stops). We do not place these pauses haphazardly, but according to the meaning of the statement: they separate one sentence from another, one semantic group (speech segment) from another, which gives the speech expressiveness and facilitates understanding.

The modern literary style of the Arabic language is characterized by the truncation of words standing at the end of speech segments, before pauses.

Let’s consider one sentence from the text of lesson 19 from this point of view, marking with vertical strokes the places of possible pauses in it.

بعد ذلك || لبست بدلتي الجديدة || ودخلت غرفة الأكل || وجلست إلى المائدة || وأكلت بيضة دجاجة || مع الخبز والزبدة || وشربت فنجان قهوة كبيرا || مع السكر.

/ba‘da ðа̄lik || labisty badlatī-l-ʤadīda || wa-daχaltu ɣuraata-l ’akl || wa-ʤalasty ’ila-l-mа̄’ida || wa-’akaltu bajḍata daʤа̄ʤatin || ma’a-l-χubzi wa-z-zubda || wa-ʃaribtu finʤа̄na qahwatin kabīran || ma’a-s-sukkar/

The transcription shows that almost all the words completing the speech segments are pronounced in the apocopic form. Only two of them retain the full form: /daʤа̄ʤatin/ and /kabīran/. This is explained by the desire to emphasize the indefinite state of the word, which, however, is not necessary.

It is clear that the division of speech into segments cannot be defined by absolutely precise rules — it largely depends on the speaker (or reader) himself, on his speech style, on the specific situation and purpose of speech (reading), etc. Nevertheless, the following should be taken into account:

A. Pauses are undesirable: 1) between the modified noun and the attribute; 2) between the members of idafa; 3) between the verbal predicate and the subject following it; 4) between the verb and its object; 5) after conjunctions, prepositions, interrogative, negative and other function particles.

B. Hamza of the article connects only only within a speech segment. After a pause, the hamza of the article does not connect, however, only a pause justified by the meaning is permissible before a word with the article. In case of an accidental pause here, hamza of the article does not connect.

C. The full form of a word at the end of a semantic segment is allowed: 1) in solemn speech and declamation: 2) in ordinary speech in those places where it is desirable to emphasize a word or its grammatical form (e.g. case or state)

Exercise 2. Read the text of lesson 19, observing the rules for truncating words in pauses.

The letter ص and the sound /ṣ/.

The letter ص /ṣа̄dun/ denotes the emphatic consonant /ṣ/, which is the emphatic counterpart of the consonant س /s/.

The consonant /ṣ/ is a sun consonant.

To pronounce /ṣ/ correctly, one must vigorously pronounce the consonant /s/ while giving the organs of speech the emphatic mode already learned for the sounds /ṭ/ and /ḍ/.

The letter ص is written the same way as ض, but without the distinguishing dot.

Exercise 3. Read by pronouncing ص correctly and paying attention to the pronunciation of the neighboring vowels. Write down 5 times.

صَ صِ صُ صَصْ صِصْ صُصْ صَصِصُ صُصَصِ صِصَصُ

Exercise 4. Read by pronouncing ص and the neighboring vowels correctly. Write down and give the transcription.

Exercise 5. Write down the transcribed words in Arabic letters.

/ṣuwarun, ’uṣūlun, ‘uṣūrun, ṣa‘idnа̄, ṣinа̄‘atun, muṣallaḥun, ṣiɣа̄run, ḥuṣūlun, taṣwīrun, ṣīnijjun/

Exercise 6. Compare the pronunciation of س and ص and their neighboring vowels in the following syllables and words (words do not need to be memorized).

The letter ظ and the sound /ẓ/.

The letter ظ /ẓа̄’un/ denotes the emphatic interdental consonant /ẓ/, which is the emphatic counterpart of the interdental ذ /ð/.

The consonant /ẓ/ is a sun consonant.

In order to pronounce /ẓ/ correctly, it is necessary, while vigorously pronouncing the consonant /ð/, to give the organs of speech the emphatic mode already learned. The vowels after /ẓ/ sound the same as after /ṭ/, /ḍ/ and /ṣ/.

The letter ظ is written the same way as ط, but has one distinguishing dot.

Exercise 7. Read by pronouncing ظ correctly and paying attention to the pronunciation of the neighboring vowels. Write down 5 times.

ظَ ظُ ظِ ظُظْ ظِظْ ظَظْ ظِظُظَ ظُظَظِ ظِظَظُ

Exercise 8. Read by pronouncing ظ and the neighboring vowels correctly. Write it down with the transcription.

Exercise 9. Write down the transcribed words in Arabic letters.

/naẓratun, ẓulmun, ’aẓ-ẓillu, miẓallа̄tun, ’an-naðа̄’iru, ḥafiẓnа̄, ẓarīfatun, maẓharun, muẓа̄haratun, ‘aẓamatun/

Exercise 10. Compare the pronunciation of ذ and ظ and their neighboring vowels in the following syllables and words (words do not need to be memorized).

The words for the text of lesson 20

Exercise 11. Read the words given above in full and apocopic forms.

Exercise 12. Make at least 10 sentences using the words for the text of lesson 20.

Text of Lesson 20

فى شقة صديقى الجديدة

لى صديق قديم. وصل الى مدينتنا فى السنة الماضية من عاصمة الصين. عمل هناك مدةً طويلة فى معمل تصليح سيّارات. هو الآن مهندس فى مصنع السيارات الكبير فى مدينتنا.
فى هذه السنة حصل صديقي على شقة جديدة فى بيت مهندسي مصنع السيارات فى شارع المدينة الرئيسي. ذهبت اليه امس فى الصباح. وصلت بالترام الى وسط المدينة ونزلت من الترام قرب بيت صديقي. صعدت بالمصعد الى شقته. فتح صديقي الباب ودخلت شقته. توجد فى شقته غرفة صغيرة وهى غرفة صديقي وتوجد ايضا غرفة أَكل كبيرة وغرفة نوم صغيرة ومطبخ وحمام. دخلنا غرفة صديقي ورأيت فيها اثاثا جديدا. ومن هذا الاثاث مكتب صغير وخزانة كتب كبيرة وفراش وثير وطاولة صغيرة عليها جهاز راديو جيّد. قرب المكتب كرسي عليه محفظة صديقي. رأيت على المكتب مصباحا واقلاما كثيرة وظروفا وكتبا. وعلى الحائط رأيت صورة جميلة وعلى ارضية الغرفة بساطا كبيرا. جلسنا فى غرفة صديقي مدة قصيرةً وخرجنا منها ودخلنا الى غرفة الأكل. وفى طريقنا نظرنا الى غرفة النوم ورأينا فيها سريرا وصوان ثياب جميل مع مرآة. بعد ذلك دخلنا غرفة الأكل وهى غرفة كبيرة ونظيفة. فى وسطها مائدة وعليها زهرية صينية جميلة. توجد فى هذه الغرفة شرفة. فتحنا باب الشرفة وخرجنا اليها ونظرنا الى الشارع ورأينا منظرا عظيما: شارعا عريضا واشجارا ظليلة وبيوتا عصرية جميلة. رأينا قرب باب البيت سيارة صديقي الجديدة.
رجعت الى بيتي بعد الظهر.

Dialogues

I

— السلام عليكم.
— وعليكم السلام.
— هل انت من معهد اللغات الاجنبية؟
— نعم، انا من معهد اللغات الاجنبية. انا طالب فى هذا المعهد.
— اين معهدكم؟
— معهدنا فى ذلك الشارع العريض والقصير.
— هل بيت اساتذة معهدكم قريب من هنا او بعيد؟
— هو قريب جدا. هو قرب معهدنا.
— هل شقة صديقي استاذ اللغة الصينية فى هذا البيت؟
— نعم، حصل استاذ اللغة الصينية هذا فى السنة الماضية على شقة جديدة فى بيت الاساتذة.
— شكرا.

II

— هل غرفتك صغيرة؟
— لا، غرفتي كبيرة ونظيفة.
— ماذا يوجد فى غرفتك هذه من الاثاث؟
— توجد فى غرفتي خزانة كتب ومائدة كبيرة وفراش وثير وطاولة صغيرة عليها زهرية جميلة.
— وهل توجد فى غرفتك صور؟
— نعم، توجد فيها صور كثيره ومنها صورة جميلة جدّا وهى منظر مدينة صينية.
— وهل المطبخ فى شقتكم كبير؟
— لا، المطبخ فى شقتنا صغير.
— وهل يوجد فى بيتكم مصعد؟
— نعم، يوجد فى بيتنا مصعد جيّد.
— وأين بيتكم؟
— بيتنا فى وسط العاصمة قرب حديقة كبيرة.
— هل ذهبت اليوم الى تلك الحديقة؟
— نعم، ذهبت اليوم قبل الظهر الى حديقتنا وجلست فيها مدة قصيرة. حديقتنا هذه جميلة جدا. فيها الكثير من الاشجار الظليلة.

Proverbs

لا يحتاج الصباح الى مصباح
من كثرة الملاحين غرقت السفينة
بلاء الانسان من اللسان
من زرع المعروف حصد الشكر
العين بصيرة واليد قصيرة

Words for the proverbs

Exercise 13. Write down the text, dialogues and proverbs. Make notes of the words to be pronounced in the apocopic form. Memorize the proverbs.

Exercise 14. Read the text and dialogues following the rules for truncating words.

Exercise 15. Retell the text.

Exercise 16. Write an essay on ‘In Our Apartment.’

Arabic Alphabet

The Arabic alphabet consists of twenty-eight letters (the hamza sign and the letter ة в алфавит не входят). are not included in the alphabet). In the following table, these letters are given in the order that is accepted in all modern Arabic dictionaries. This order must be memorized.

On small screens, one row of the table below will change into two rows; first goes what is highlighted in yellow, then what is highlighted in green.

Arabic Alphabet

Along with this alphabetical order, there is another, ancient order of Arabic letters called the ‘abjad’ order.

To memorize this order, special ‘words’ have been invented that have no meaning and serve solely as a means of memorization. These words are:

أَبْجَدْ هَوَّزْ حُطِّي كَلْمَنْ سَعْفَصْ قَرْشَتْ ثَخَذْ ضَظَغْ

In the olden days, the Arabs used abjad letters to denote dates, numbers in arithmetic, etc. For this purpose the following numerical values were assigned to the letters: ا = 1, ب = 2, ج = 3, د = 4, ه = 5, و = 6, ز = 7, ح = 8, ط = 9, ي = 10, ك = 20, ل = 30, م = 40, ن = 50, س = 60, ع = 70, ف = 80, ص = 90, ق = 100, ر = 200, ش = 300, ت = 400, ث = 500, خ = 600, ذ = 700, ض = 800, ظ = 900, غ = 1000. Applying this method, you can, for example, designate the year 2019 as follows: غغيط.

Nowadays, the abjad order is used when letters are used to designate sections in books, in enumerations, in other words, when letters are used instead of numbers.