Re: Arabic (Arabiya)

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Hello

 Salaam Alekum
In Arabic, how do the sounds "Q" and the s that is not sh or s "so called
retroflex s" sound like. Also how does the "gh" sound like. It is said to sound
like the "french r" which it does, but it sounds more "g-ish."

 Thanks
>>
Wa alekum as-salaam.

The Arabic qaaf is pronounced like an IPA [q], which sounds like a [k]
pronounced further back--at the uvula.   So if you try to pronounce it, and it
sounds like a "k", try moving the back of your tongue back even further.   No
matter how far back you go, it'll sound like a [q] (though if you go too far back
you run the risk of swallowing your own tongue--j/k).

The Arabic "s" that is neither "s" (siim) nor "sh" (shiim) is called "saad",
and it's *not* retroflex; it's pharyngealized.   If you know how to pronounce
"ayn", try pronounce an "s" while pronouncing an "ayn".  Or, while making the
[A] vowel (as in, "Stick out your tongue and say"), try pronouncing an "s"
*without* stopping the [A] sound.   That will approximate the sound.   Once
you've got that, now try pronouncing it without an [A] vowel, and you're set.

The Arabic "gh", called "ghayn", can be pronounced like a French /r/, since I
*believe* one of the allophones for French /r/ is a voiced, velar fricative.
 Anyway, if you can pronounce Arabic "khaa" (looks like a "haa" with a dot
underneath), then just voice it, and you've got "ghayn".   However, it is true
that, generally, "ghayn" is further forward (at the velum) than the French /r/
generally is (which is generally at the uvula).   This is all *generally*,
though.

-David

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