A Phonological Analysis of Arabic Tri-Consonantal Causative Verbs

Abstract

This study analyzes the derivation of causative verbs in Standard Arabic (SA). The study uses the auto-segmental rules to account for the analysis.  In analyzing the investigated collected data of different forms of verbs, the study presents the underlying representation (input) for each derived causative verb and the phonological rules and processes resulting in its surface form (output). The study attempts to detect and explain the discrepancy between these verbs' underlying form and surface form by finding out the phonological rules involved in their derivation. Four main groups of causative verbs are investigated: (1) initially weak verbs, (2) medially weak verbs, (3) finally weak verbs, and (4) doubly weak verbs. The results of the study have revealed that there is a systematic patterning in forming the causative verbs depending on different phonological processes such as glide elision, glide assimilation, vowel lengthening, and vowel shortening.