The Substitution Of [ɣ] For [q] In El-meni’a Spoken Arabic

Résumé: Abstract The diglossic situation in the Arab world has left Classical Arabic (CA) and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) with little variation; this on one hand. On the other, Arabic vernaculars exhibit tremendous variations at different levels: lexis, phonology, morphology, and syntax. The result of language change in colloquial Arabic is varieties that are so distinct from Arabic. In this regard, the current article investigates a sound change in progress in the Arabic dialect of El-Menia whereby the sound [ɣ] substitutes for [q]. The importance of the research lies in the wide spread of the phenomenon throughout many places in Algeria and the lack of study on the topic. The methodology chosen consists of two stages: observations and interviews. The finding of these show a consistent use of the variant [q] by all social categories. It also reveals that the sound change is not constrained by any phonetic environment. Even though the paper does not provide answers as to the reasons and the origin of the change, it raises several questions and it is a starting point for further investigation.

Publié dans la revue: مجلة الحقيقة