The Arabic Verb: Form and meaning in the vowel-lengthening patterns

301 Pages·2011·1.55 MB·English

by  Warwick Danks

The Arabic Verb
Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics (SFSL)
Taking the broadest and most general definitions of the terms functional and
structural, this series aims to present linguistic and interdisciplinary research that
relates language structure — at any level of analysis from phonology to discourse —
to broader functional considerations, whether cognitive, communicative, pragmatic
or sociocultural. Preference will be given to studies that focus on data from actual
discourse, whether speech, writing or other nonvocal medium.
The series was formerly known as Linguistic & Literary Studies in Eastern Europe (LLSEE).
Founding Editor Honorary Editors
John Odmark Eva Hajičová Petr Sgall
Charles University Charles University
General Editors
Yishai Tobin Ellen Contini-Morava
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev University of Virginia
Editorial Board
Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald Jim Miller
La Trobe University University of Auckland
Joan Bybee Marianne Mithun
University of New Mexico University of California, at Santa Barbara
Nicholas Evans Lawrence J. Raphael
University of Melbourne CUNY and Adelphi University
Victor A. Friedman Olga Mišeska Tomić
University of Chicago Leiden University
Anatoly Liberman Olga T. Yokoyama
University of Minnesota UCLA
James A. Matisoff
University of California, Berkeley
Volume 63
The Arabic Verb. Form and meaning in the vowel-lengthening patterns
by Warwick Danks
The Arabic Verb
Form and meaning
in the vowel-lengthening patterns
Warwick Danks
University of St Andrews
Petr Sgall
Charles University
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Amsterdam / Philadelphia
TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
8
American National Standard for Information Sciences – Permanence of
Paper for Printed Library Materials, ansi z39.48-1984.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Danks, Warwick.
  The Arabic verb : form and meaning in the vowel-lengthening patterns / Warwick Danks.
       p. cm. (Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics, issn 0165-7712 ; v. 63)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1.  Arabic language--Verb. 2.  Arabic language--Morphology.  I. Title.
PJ6145.D36 2011
492.75’6--dc22 2011004873
isbn 978 90 272 1573 4 (Hb ; alk. paper)
isbn 978 90 272 8695 6 (Eb)
© 2011 – John Benjamins B.V.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, or any
other means, without written permission from the publisher.
John Benjamins Publishing Co. · P.O. Box 36224 · 1020 me Amsterdam · The Netherlands
John Benjamins North America · P.O. Box 27519 · Philadelphia pa 19118-0519 · usa
To my late mother
Mavis Florence Danks (1922–1999)
and my late grandmother
Emma Louise Williams (1891–1982),
for their strength, patience
and unswerving faith in me

Table of contents
Preface xi
Notes on symbols, abbreviations and other conventions
followed in examples xiii
chapter 1
Introduction 1
1.1 Saussurean structuralism 2
1.1.1 The linguistic sign 2
1.1.2 Language as a system 3
1.2 Beedham’s method of lexical exceptions 4
1.2.1 Principles 4
1.2.1.1 Unexplained exceptions are indicative
of incorrect analysis 4
1.2.1.2 From form to meaning 5
1.2.1.3 Synchronic basis 5
1.2.1.4 The Hegelian triad and scientific method 8
1.2.2 An attempt to apply the method 8
1.2.2.1 Phase 1: Choose a formal construction 9
1.2.2.2 Phase 2: Identify the problems, anomalies,
contradictions, etc. 9
1.2.2.3 Phase 3: Identify the unexplained lexical exceptions 10
1.2.2.4 Phase 4: Identify the properties of the exceptions 10
1.2.2.5 Phase 5: What might lead to the exceptions? 11
1.2.2.6 Phase 6: The semantic phase 11
1.3 A fresh approach to the problem 11
1.4 Further methodological considerations 13
chapter 2
Verbal morphology and the lexicon 15
2.1 Arabic verbal morphology 16
2.1.1 Inflectional morphology 16
2.1.2 Derivational morphology 17
2.1.2.1 ‘Biliteral’ verbs 17
2.1.2.2 Pattern I triliteral stems 18
viii The Arabic Verb
2.1.2.3 Derived or augmented triliteral stems 18
2.1.2.4 Quadriliteral stems 21
2.1.2.5 Morphological connections 21
2.2 Distribution of verbal patterns in the lexicon 23
2.2.1 Data collection 24
2.2.1.1 Method 24
2.2.1.2 Lexical issues 24
2.2.2 Comparison of data with existing sources 27
2.2.3 Quantitative analysis of the data 29
2.2.3.1 Productivity by root 29
2.2.3.2 Productivity by pattern 30
2.2.3.3 Co-occurrence of patterns 31
2.3 Summary 37
chapter 3
Alternative morphologies 39
3.1 Alternatives to the Arabic root as the primary basis of derivation 39
3.1.1 Word- and stem-based approaches 40
3.1.1.1 Is the concept of root necessarily excluded? 41
3.1.1.2 Specific arguments for a fully vocalised base 42
3.1.1.3 External evidence 46
3.1.1.4 Conclusion 50
3.1.2 Matrices, etymons and radicals 51
3.1.2.1 Bohas’s hypothesis 51
3.1.2.2 Assessment of the matrix/etymon model 54
3.1.2.3 Conclusion 55
3.2 Prosodic templatic morphology 55
3.2.1 Three morphemic tiers 56
3.2.2 Prosodic analysis 56
3.2.2.1 Syllable types in Arabic 56
3.2.2.2 Minimal stems 58
3.2.2.3 Further noun stems 59
3.2.2.4 Verbal stems 60
3.3 Summary 62
chapter 4
Understanding Arabic verbal semantics: Form and meaning 63
4.1 The grammarian’s dilemma 63
4.2 Specific approaches from the grammars 65
4.2.1 The ‘reductionist’ approach 66
Table of contents ix
4.2.2 The ‘explicit specification’ approach 71
4.2.3 The approaches compared 73
4.3 The linguist’s contribution 73
4.3.1 Semitic comparative linguistics 73
4.3.2 The synchronic linguist’s perspective 78
4.4 Summary 80
chapter 5
Evaluating the pattern III – pattern VI semantic relationship 83
5.1 Selection of patterns III and VI 83
5.2 Mutuality and reciprocity 84
5.2.1 Data collection 84
5.2.2 Data interpreted 87
5.2.2.1 Pattern III mutuality 87
5.2.2.2 Pattern VI reciprocity 90
5.2.2.3 Pattern III – pattern VI correlations 92
5.2.2.4 Correlations with pattern I 93
5.3 Pattern III conativity 101
5.4 Summary 102
chapter 6
Transitivity and valency 103
6.1 Defining transitivity in Arabic 103
6.1.1 Transitive verbs 103
6.1.2 Intransitive verbs 104
6.1.3 Ambitransitivity 105
6.1.4 Transitivity through a preposition 105
6.1.5 Multi-transitive verbs 106
6.2 Valency 108
6.3 Data collection 110
6.4 Data analysis 112
6.4.1 Valency and the ta- prefix 112
6.4.1.1 A hierarchical approach to valency structures 113
6.4.1.2 Hierarchical exceptions 114
6.4.1.3 Summary 121
6.4.2 Valency and relationships with pattern I 122
6.4.2.1 Pattern I and pattern III valency 122
6.4.2.2 Pattern I and pattern VI valency 127
6.5 Summary 129