Velar, Uvular and Pharyngeal Alternations in Hasawi Arabic: A Harmonic Serialism Optimality Theoretic Approach

Abstract

This thesis investigates three phonological phenomena in Hasawi Arabic (HA), a dialect spoken in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. First, is the pharyngealisation, which is triggered by the pharyngealised coronal segments /tˤ, ðˤ, sˤ/. Second, is the uvularisation, which is triggered by the uvular segments /q, ɢ, χ, ʁ/. The acoustic cues of the emphasis spread are measured via PRAAT and are represented by the feature [RTR]. The third phenomenon is the uvular segment alternations /ʁ/ and /q/. All three phonological phenomena are accounted for within a Harmonic Serialism Optimality Theoretic analysis (HS-OT). With its harmonic and gradual derivational steps, HS-OT, as the framework of the phonological analysis throughout the thesis, examining all the attested phenomena, demonstrates its capabilities of gracefully capturing such complicated phonological phenomena. A fixed ranking of the constraints is established and an interaction between the phonological processes is exhibited. These interacting phonological processes include: resyllabification, insertion, voice assimilation, Manner of articulation assimilation and emphasis spread. The results of the study reveal a distinctive characteristics and pattern of HA. Although both the pharyngealised and the uvular segments exhibit an emphasis spread on neighbouring segments in different domains and directions, the uvular segments, however, have a long-distance and a heavier emphasis effect on the adjacent vowels than the pharyngealised segments in HA. Based on the minimal pairs and local items that invariably surface with /q/ in the dialect, I also argue for the inclusion of the segments / and / in the consonantal inventory of HA. The alternation of the uvular segments /ʁ/ and /q/ is actually a conditioned phonological alternation not a free variation phenomenon as assumed by the previous research where a pattern is found and presented in HA.