Context and Linguistic Skills Factors Affecting the Pronunciation of Arabic Proper Names in Speakers of Bahdini Kurdish

Dilgash Mohammed Shareef

doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.8n.6p.118

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to explore the pronunciation of Arabic proper names by Bahdini Kurds living in Duhok and the districts around. Thirty-two respondents were selected to say fifty Arabic proper names commonly used by Kurdish today’s society. The variables identified are linguistic skills in Kurdish and Arabic, and the extent of the formality of the context. The study concluded that being a fluent speaker of Arabic gives a Bahdini Kurdish speaker the ability to pronounce the Arabic proper names in a native-like accent. Yet, those speakers have revealed a tendency towards the use of a Kurdish pronunciation of such names when the context was informal. Dissimilarly, the Kurdish pronunciation was regularly used by speakers skilled or unskilled in Kurdish language and linguistics in both formal and informal situations.

Highlights

History of Arabic Names among KurdsSadiq (2003:88) asserts that in the old times when the Kurdish nation was free, the names of the entire citizens were Kurdish [12].According to Kurdish folk tales and old writings some Kurdish names were: Swar, Shivan, Pirmam,Bapeer, Meriwan, Brzo, Serdar, Memend, Ar, Shirwan, Gul among many other names
They added that when reading aloud students’ names in a universityclassroom; they follow the Arabic pronunciation of an Arabic proper name whereas the Arabic name of a person in an informal context can possibly be pronounced by those teachers after the Kurdish pronunciation
Table (1) includes two main pronunciations of a list of Arabic proper names ending in Tā’ marbūṭahused by Arabic language teachers at Zakho University, the Arabic pronunciation is (AP) and the Kurdish pronunciation is (KP): Another possible reason behind such pronunciation differences could be related withthe effect of the mother tongue

Summary

Introduction

History of Arabic Names among KurdsSadiq (2003:88) asserts that in the old times when the Kurdish nation was free, the names of the entire citizens were Kurdish [12].According to Kurdish folk tales and old writings some Kurdish names were: Swar (knight), Shivan (shepherd), Pirmam,Bapeer (grandfather), Meriwan, Brzo, Serdar, Memend, Ar (flour), Shirwan, Gul (rose) among many other names. Like other nations throughout history the Kurds have borrowed names from different cultures. Non-Kurdish names are almost always present in Kurdish naming. Political, ideological, westernization (immigration to the west), education, technology and media are all factors behind this phenomenon. Islam contributed greatly to the spread of Arabic names among the Kurds who followed the new religion to the extent that their religious feelings became stronger than their feelings of nationalism. Many Arabic names began to be used and sometimes preferred on the account of purely Kurdish names. It is worth to mention, at this point, that Kurdish names did not make a noticeable appearance until after First World War (1914- 1919) when the Ottoman

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion