Abstract
This is an investigation of the assimilation process across word boundaries of the four main dialects of Yemeni Arabic. Twenty native speakers of these dialects have been asked to read the collected data, five from each dialect. The reading of the phrases has been transcribed for the analysis. The data under investigation uncovers the fact that assimilation in the four Yemeni dialects can be classified into symmetrical and asymmetrical categories. Symmetrical assimilation does not lead to irregularity. However, asymmetrical assimilation can cause irregularity among the four Yemeni dialects. The asymmetrical category of assimilation is investigated in terms of place, voicing, and emphasis. These irregularities are analogous to earlier typological work undertaken by Lehn (1963), Mohanon (1993), Watson (2002), Zuraiq and Zhang (2006), and Zuraiq and Abu Joudeh (2013). The study provides informative phonetic data useful for the foundation of a cross-dialectal study of assimilation in YA consonants.
Highlights
Coronal (C) sounds as defined by Chomsky and Halle (1968) are consonants produced with the blade of the tongue raised from the neutral position
Place assimilation occurs when the two adjacent consonants are both non-coronals in Ta'izi dialect (TD) and in Tihami dialect (THD)
9) In Sabir mountain, the /l/ is in complete assimilation when it is followed by coronal or noncoronals, except for the palatal /j/. 10) /t/ gets deleted when preceded by /n/ and followed by /d/, /θ/, /ð/
Summary
Coronal (C) sounds as defined by Chomsky and Halle (1968) are consonants produced with the blade of the tongue raised from the neutral position (dental, alveolar, palato-alveolar consonants). Non-coronals are consonants produced with the blade of the tongue in the neutral position (bilabial and velar consonants). This phonological investigation provides an insight into symmetrical and asymmetrical assimilation that is a prototypical feature of four major Yemeni dialects: the San'ani dialect (SD), the Ta'izi dialect (TD), the Tihami dialect (THD), and the Hadhrami dialect (HD). Twenty native speakers (10 males and 10 females) five from each dialect (SD), (TD), (HD), and (THD) have produced the required phrases and their production is recorded. The views of other phoneticians have been consulted during our literature review. The names of these scholars are listed in the references. The views of Zuraiq and Abu Joudeh (2013) have impacted the investigation and the outcome of the present work
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