Re: Arabic

In a message dated 11/19/01 7:27:19 PM, CHalvrson@AOL.COM writes:

<< I have a few questions:  can you give me English words that use the sounds
made by the little accents or whatever their called used in Arabic script.
(Like the damma, kasra, fatha, sukuun, hamza, etc.)>>

damma: A short [u], not unlike the "u" in "put"
kasra: A short [i], oftentimes like the "i" in "sit"
fatha: A short [a], like the "a" in "sofa"
sukuun: Indicates that there's no short vowel sound at all
hamza: Glottal stop: two in the word "uh-oh" at the beginning of each segment
shadda: When there's a shadda over a consonant it's a geminate.  English
occasionally has geminates,
    like a long [p] in the name "Hepburn", and a long [s] in "plus seven".

<<also what's the difference between the two z's and the "q" sound versus the
"k" sound.
and what's a T'? >>

    There aren't two [z]'s.  One is a [z], and one is a pharyngealized [D]
which ends up sounding like a [z], but not in the Arabic I learned.  In some
dialects it does come out as a pharyngealized [z].  To pharyngealize
something, pretend like you're about to make an [A].  Then constrict your
throat in that position further and make whatever consonant sound you're
going to make at the same time.  That's about what pharyngealization is.  If
that doesn't work, just pretend you're choking.  The [q] is further back than
the [k]; it's a voiceless uvular stop.  Push the back of your tongue as far
back as it goes then make a stop.  It should sound kind of "poppy" (this is
my explanation of the sound; it doesn't go for all).  A /T'/ is usually how
they transcribe a pharyngealized [t].  It's just a [t] with
pharyngealization, which is described above.


-David

"s&m raSalo SirejsatIm, spAjs Zi v&TIl dZaGagzaZA."
"If it keeps on rainin', the levee's going to break."
        --Led Zeppelin

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