N-Behavior in Quranic Reading
Date
2020-11-19
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Abstract
Idgham is a Quranic-reading rule that governs how the coronal /n/ is pronounced when it is followed by a set of segments: /j, w, r, l, n and m/. According to Quranic scholars, when /n/ is followed by a glide /famən jaʔməl/ or a nasal /mɪn mal/, it deletes and the [+nasal] feature moves to the following segment yielding [famə j̃aʔməl] and [mɪ m̃al], respectively. On the other hand, when /n/ precedes a liquid, both the /n/ and the [+nasal] feature are phonetically unrealized: /mɪn ladunh/ [mɪ ladunh]. Idgham only applies when /n/ occurs word-finally and the triggering segments occupy the initial onset position of the following word. It does not occur word-medially: [qɪnwan].The present paper provides a unified OT account for the phenomenon illustrated above. Since, in most cases, the [+nasal] feature sticks around, I argue that Idgham is a fusion process not a deletion process. This paper also explores the vulnerability of /n/ and the immunity of /m/ to Idgham: /lam nara/ “we did not see” [lam nara] not *[la ñ1,2ara]. I argue that in Quranic reading, the more marked /m/ is exempt from fusion while the less marked /n/ is not because IDENT constraints for the more marked segment /m/ outrank IDENT constraints for the less marked segment /n/ (De Lacy, 2002). Finally, in answering why /n/ only fuses with sonorants, the reason is attributed to faithfulness.
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Linguistics, Arabic, Quran, Quranic reading, Idgham, fusion, coronal nasal