The Polygenesis of the Neo-Arabic Dialects

Abstract

This paper presents a framework within which the study of the development of neo-Arabic may be carried out. The present analysis investigates relative and demonstrative pronouns in peripheral neo-Arabic in light of NW Semitic isoglosses and suggests that the contemporary dialects originated in two Old Arabic dialect clusters. However, the distribution of the relative and demonstrative features in most neo-Arabic dialects indicates that there has been significant historical contact between the proposed original clusters. Thus, a conventional tree diagram is not capable of describing their development. This analysis suggests that the neo-Arabic dialects should be regarded as sedimentary structures, containing both genetic and koine features. In light of this, the author proposes that the diachronic study of neo-Arabic should be divided into two modules: the first is the study of the development of innovations found in neo-Arabic, regardless of dialect, from proto-Central Semitic, and the second is the study of the spread of these features throughout the neo-Arabic dialects through the mechanisms of contact presented here.