An Optimality Analytical Approach to Selected Qurʼanic Phonotactics

Abstract

After the Islamic conquests, everyday Arabic has changed considerably from Classical Arabic (CA) in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed. As a result of such variation, Arab Muslims are required to learn CA in order to recite the Qur’an in a correct way. Consequently, a set of phonological rules, i.e. tajweed rules, have been formed to facilitate reading the Qur’an. This study aims to present a constraint-based analysis of some the Qurʼanic phonotactics, i.e. Al-ʼIdghaam, Al-’IȤhɑɑr, and Al-’Ikhfaa’. The framework which is followed in this paper is that of the Optimality Theory (OT) in phonology, a theory proposed by Prince and Smolensky (1993) in their book Optimality Theory: Constraint Interaction in Generative Grammar. The current study seeks to explore the CA constraints upon which the chosen tajweed rules are built. Furthermore, the study attempts to introduce a ranking of these constraints, i.e. 'a constraint dominance hierarchy', according to their importance in CA contexts. Some of the results that the study uncovers are that the different types of ʼIdghaam and ’Ikhfaa’ in the presented examples are built upon a ranking in which OCP principle; either OCP-total or OCP-feature (place or manner), occupies the highest rank, while Ident-IO (F) is in the lowest rank. Conversely, Ident-IO (F) comes at the highest rank in ’IȤhɑɑr in the chosen examples.