{"id":14286,"date":"2017-05-11T16:10:12","date_gmt":"2017-05-11T16:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/?p=14286"},"modified":"2017-05-26T20:18:12","modified_gmt":"2017-05-26T20:18:12","slug":"arabic-weak-letters-long-vowels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/arabic-weak-letters-long-vowels\/","title":{"rendered":"The 3 Most Problematic Arabic Letters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just as diacritics <\/a>play a significant role in disambiguating the meaning of graphically similar words, long vowels<\/a> determine the form of derived words; therefore, they are called \u062d\u064f\u0631\u064f\u0648\u0641 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0650\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0629<\/strong> \u2018the weak letters.\u2019<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Arabic-weak-letter\"

illustration by Ibnulyemen<\/p><\/div>\n

The fact that Arabic is a phonetic language is facilitative of learning. Its words are pronounced the way they are written\u2014no silent letters and no combination of letters for a single sound. So, being able to articulate letters and diacritics means you are in a position to correctly pronounce any Arabic word even if you are encountering it for the first time. For this reason, I focused on \u062a\u064e\u0634\u0652\u0643\u0650\u064a\u0644<\/strong><\/a>, \u062a\u064e\u0646\u0652\u0648\u0650\u064a\u0646<\/strong><\/a>, \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0634\u0651\u064e\u0645\u0652\u0633\u0650\u064a\u0629 \u0648\u0627\u0644\u0642\u064e\u0645\u064e\u0631\u0650\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/a>, \u0623\u064e\u0644\u0650\u0641\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0648\u064e\u0635\u0652\u0644<\/strong><\/a>, \u0627\u0644\u062a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0621 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064e\u0631\u0652\u0628\u064f\u0648\u0637\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/a>, and dissimilar sounds<\/a> from your native language in the previous few posts. While irregularities in the pronunciation of Arabic words are scarce, they are common in word-formation. These irregularities are caused by long vowels or \u062d\u064f\u0631\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0641 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0650\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0629<\/strong>, i.e. \u0648<\/strong>, \u0627<\/strong>, and \u064a<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u062d\u064f\u0631\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0641\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0650\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0629<\/strong> are called weak letters because they don\u2019t retain their original form when new words are derived from roots. Given that learning the structure of words is exceedingly important in augmenting your vocabulary, fluency, and accuracy, it is essential that you be heedful of \u062d\u064f\u0631\u064f\u0648\u0641 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0650\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0629 \u00a0<\/strong>every time you jot down\/learn new Arabic words. As to word types, Arabic words are classified into three main categories: verbs, nouns, and prepositions. Ignoring the latter for now, verbs and nouns constitute the bulk of Arabic dictionary. Structurally, \u062d\u064f\u0631\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0641\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0650\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0629<\/strong> can be part of root verbs\/nouns and this is where we should take heed.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with verbs.<\/p>\n

In a tri-consonantal verb, \u062d\u064e\u0631\u0652\u0641\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0650\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0629<\/strong> can occur at the beginning, middle, or end of the verb, see the illustration above. Such a verb is called in Arabic grammar \u0645\u064f\u0639\u0652\u062a\u064e\u0644<\/strong>, as opposed to \u0635\u064e\u062d\u0650\u064a\u0652\u062d<\/strong>, i.e. devoid of \u062d\u064f\u0631\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0641 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0650\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0629<\/strong>. For now, you can think of \u0645\u064f\u0639\u0652\u062a\u064e\u0644<\/strong> as irregular and \u0635\u064e\u062d\u0650\u064a\u0652\u062d<\/strong> as regular. Here are more examples of \u0645\u064f\u0639\u0652\u062a\u064e\u0644<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u0648\u064e\u062c\u064e\u062f\u064e<\/strong> \u2018to find\u2019<\/td>\n\u0642\u064e\u0627\u0644\u064e<\/strong> \u2018to say\u2019<\/td>\n\u0645\u064e\u0634\u064e\u0649<\/strong> \u2018to walk\u2019<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0648\u064e\u0635\u064e\u0641\u064e<\/strong> \u2018to describe\u2019<\/td>\n\u0628\u064e\u0627\u0639\u064e<\/strong> \u2018to sell\u2019<\/td>\n\u062f\u064e\u0639\u064e\u0627<\/strong> \u2018to call, invite\u2019<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0648\u064e\u0639\u064e\u062f\u064e<\/strong> \u2018to promise\u2019<\/td>\n\u0635\u064e\u0627\u0645\u064e<\/strong> \u2018to fast\u2019<\/td>\n\u062c\u064e\u0631\u064e\u0649<\/strong> \u2018to run\u2019<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0648\u064e\u0642\u064e\u0641\u064e<\/strong> \u2018to stop\u2019<\/td>\n\u062b\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e<\/strong> \u2018to rebel\u2019<\/td>\n\u0631\u064e\u0645\u064e\u0649<\/strong> \u2018to throw\u2019<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0648\u064e\u0631\u0650\u062b\u064e<\/strong> \u2018to inherit\u2019<\/td>\n\u0635\u064e\u0627\u062f\u064e<\/strong> \u2018to hunt\u2019<\/td>\n\u0631\u064e\u0636\u0650\u064a\u064e<\/strong> \u2018to accept\u2019<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

So, what exactly happens to these long vowels when these verbs are conjugated or transformed into nouns?<\/p>\n

Basically, one of two things can happen to these letters. They can be deleted or changed to another letter. To illustrate, let\u2019s conjugate the verbs \u0648\u064e\u0642\u064e\u0641\u064e<\/strong>, \u0642\u064e\u0627\u0644\u064e<\/strong>, and \u062f\u064e\u0639\u064e\u0627<\/strong> in the present form:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \u0645\u064e\u062d\u064e\u0645\u0651\u064e\u062f \u064a\u064e\u0642\u0650\u0641\u064f \u0648\u064e\u0633\u064e\u0637 \u0627\u0644\u063a\u064f\u0631\u0652\u0641\u064e\u0629<\/strong> \u2018Mohammed stops in the middle of the room.\u2019<\/li>\n
  • \u0645\u064f\u062d\u064e\u0645\u0651\u064e\u062f \u064a\u064e\u0642\u064f\u0648\u0644\u064f \u0625\u0650\u0646\u0651\u064e\u0647\u064f \u0645\u064e\u0631\u0650\u064a\u0636<\/strong> \u2018Mohammed says that he is sick.\u2019<\/li>\n
  • \u0645\u064e\u062d\u064e\u0645\u0651\u064e\u062f \u064a\u064e\u062f\u0652\u0639\u064f\u0648 \u0623\u064e\u0635\u0652\u062f\u0650\u0642\u0627\u0626\u0650\u0647 \u0625\u0650\u0644\u064e\u0649 \u0628\u064e\u064a\u0652\u062a\u0650\u0647 \u0645\u064e\u0631\u0651\u064e\u0629 \u0641\u0650\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0634\u0651\u064e\u0647\u0652\u0631 <\/strong>\u2018Mohammed invites his friends over once a month.\u2019<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    You can see that in the first sentence the long vowel is completed dropped. In the second, it changes from \u0627<\/strong> to \u0648<\/strong>. In the last, it changes from \u0627<\/strong> to \u0648\u00a0<\/strong>as well.<\/p>\n

    Now, shall we try another type of conjugation\u2014imperative. As you probably know, the imperative form is derived from the present form by simply dropping the prefix of the present form, i.e. the \u064a\u0640 <\/strong>in \u064a\u064e\u0642\u0650\u0641\u064f<\/strong>, \u064a\u064e\u0642\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0644<\/strong>, and \u064a\u064e\u062f\u0652\u0639\u064f\u0648<\/strong>. Besides, the long vowel is to be dropped as entailed by the grammar. Hence, the imperative form of these verbs are:<\/p>\n

    \u0642\u0650\u0641\u0652<\/strong> \u2018stop!\u2019 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u0642\u064f\u0644\u0652 <\/strong>\u2018say!\u2019 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u0627\u0650\u062f\u0652\u0639\u0652 <\/strong>\u2018call!\u2019 or \u2018invite!\u2019<\/p>\n

    To underscore the importance of \u062d\u064f\u0631\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0641\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0650\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0629<\/strong> further, here is yet another type of derivation in which they behave weirdly\u2014the derivation of \u2018subject nouns\u2019, as in English play<\/em>–player<\/em> derivation. As you may know, subject nouns in Arabic are derived from tri-consonantal verbs by simply adding \u0627 <\/strong>alif <\/em>after the first letter. Using the same verbs, \u0648\u064e\u0642\u064e\u0641\u064e<\/strong>, \u0642\u064e\u0627\u0644\u064e<\/strong>, and \u062f\u064e\u0639\u064e\u0627<\/strong>, here is how the derivation looks like:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • \u0648\u064e\u0642\u064e\u0641\u064e<\/strong> becomes \u0648\u064e\u0627\u0642\u0650\u0641<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • \u0642\u064e\u0627\u0644\u064e <\/strong>becomes \u0642\u064e\u0627\u0626\u0650\u0644<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • \u062f\u064e\u0639\u064e\u0627<\/strong> become \u062f\u064e\u0627\u0639<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      While no change happens to the long vowel in the case of \u0648\u064e\u0642\u064e\u0641\u064e<\/strong>, it becomes hamzah \u0626\u0640<\/strong> in the case of \u0642\u064e\u0627\u0644\u064e<\/strong> \u00a0and is completely dropped in the case of \u062f\u064e\u0639\u064e\u0627<\/strong>. While this is not a comprehensive explanation of the irregularities of long vowels in Arabic verb conjugation\/derivation, the point is to make you aware of their importance. Thus, the take-home learning tip from this is that whenever your jot down and learn a new word that has a long vowel in it, it worth pondering the derivative forms from it. Intensive practice of this leads to better intuition and more accurate judgement.<\/p>\n

      Irregularities similar to the aforesaid emerge with nouns as well. Let\u2019s look at some of them.<\/p>\n

      In forming dual and plural as well in assigning the correct final diacritical mark (i.e. case) or \u0625\u0650\u0639\u0652\u0631\u064e\u0627\u0628<\/strong>, long vowels undergo a change of some sort. While forming dual or plural, \u062d\u064f\u0631\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0641 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0650\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0629 <\/strong>may be deleted or change to another letter, as in these example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
      Singular \u0645\u064f\u0641\u0652\u0631\u064e\u062f <\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nDual \u0645\u064f\u062b\u064e\u0646\u0651\u064e\u0649 <\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nPlural \u062c\u064e\u0645\u0652\u0639<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      \u0639\u064e\u0635\u064e\u0627 <\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u2018stick\u2019<\/td>\n\u0639\u064e\u0635\u064e\u0648\u064e\u0627\u0646<\/strong><\/td>\n\u0639\u064e\u0635\u064e\u0648\u064e\u0627\u062a<\/strong> or \u0639\u064f\u0635\u0650\u064a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      \u0641\u064e\u062a\u064e\u0649<\/strong> \u2018young man\u2019<\/td>\n\u0641\u064e\u062a\u064e\u064a\u064e\u0627\u0646<\/strong><\/td>\n\u0641\u0650\u062a\u0652\u064a\u064e\u0627\u0646<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      \u062e\u064e\u0636\u0652\u0631\u064e\u0627\u0621<\/strong> \u2018green\u2019<\/td>\n\u062e\u064e\u0636\u0652\u0631\u064e\u0627\u0648\u0627\u0646<\/strong><\/td>\n\u062e\u064e\u0636\u0652\u0631\u064e\u0627\u0648\u064e\u0627\u062a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      \u0635\u064e\u062d\u0652\u0631\u064e\u0627\u0621<\/strong> \u2018desert\u2019<\/td>\n\u0635\u064e\u062d\u0652\u0631\u064e\u0627\u0648\u064e\u0627\u0646<\/strong><\/td>\n\u0635\u064e\u062d\u0652\u0631\u064e\u0627\u0648\u064e\u0627\u062a<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      \u0642\u064e\u0627\u0636\u064d<\/strong> (\u0642\u064e\u0627\u0636\u0650\u064a<\/strong>) \u2018judge\u2019<\/td>\n\u0642\u064e\u0627\u0636\u0650\u064a\u064e\u0627\u0646<\/strong><\/td>\n\u0642\u064e\u0627\u0636\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0646<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      \u0645\u064f\u062d\u064e\u0627\u0645\u064d<\/strong> \u00a0(\u0645\u064f\u062d\u064e\u0627\u0645\u0650\u064a<\/strong>) \u2018lawyer\u2019<\/td>\n\u0645\u064e\u062d\u064e\u0627\u0645\u0650\u064a\u0627\u0646<\/strong><\/td>\n\u0645\u064f\u062d\u064e\u0627\u0645\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0646<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

      In case of \u0639\u064e\u0635\u064e\u0627<\/strong>, the \u0627 <\/strong>changes to \u0648 <\/strong>in both dual and plural. Similarly, the hamzah in \u062e\u064e\u0636\u0652\u0631\u064e\u0627\u0621<\/strong> which is consider \u0627 <\/strong>alif<\/em> changes to \u0648 <\/strong>before the dual and plural suffixes are added. In the case of \u0642\u064e\u0627\u0636\u0650\u064a<\/strong>, the \u064a<\/strong> is completely omitted in both singular and plural for reasons that pertain to parsing \u0625\u0650\u0639\u0652\u0631\u064e\u0627\u0628<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      Note that the above explanations are concise and mainly meant to draw your attention to the importance of \u062d\u064f\u0631\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0641\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0650\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0629 <\/strong>and to give you basic rules about their role in Arabic word-formation\u00a0as you continue to augment your Arabic lexicon. More fine-grained explanations will be given in future posts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"Arabic-weak-letter\"

      Just as diacritics play a significant role in disambiguating the meaning of graphically similar words, long vowels determine the form of derived words; therefore, they are called \u062d\u064f\u0631\u064f\u0648\u0641 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0650\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0629 \u2018the weak letters.\u2019 … Continue Reading<\/p>","protected":false},"author":148,"featured_media":14287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3525,6,13],"tags":[462613,27620,462612],"class_list":["post-14286","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arabic-language","category-grammar","category-vocabulary","tag-arabic-weak-letters","tag-long-vowels","tag-462612"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/148"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14286"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14286\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14289,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14286\/revisions\/14289"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}