Journal of Foreign Languages, Cultures & Civilizations

Regressive Assimilation of the "t" in Saudi Northern Region Dialect of Arabic (SNRDA): An OT Account
Dr. Khalaf M. J. Al Shammiry

Abstract
Using Prince and Smolensky (1993) optimality theory, the focus of this paper is to provide an OT account for the total regressive assimilation process of the consonant “t” to the following coronal consonant manifested in Saudi Northern Region Dialect of Arabic (SNRDA). Contra Bakovic’s (2005), interestingly, total assimilation takes place between two adjacent consonants and geminates are created; according to Bakovic epenthesis should apply to prevent formation of geminates. This assimilation process is also interesting when we know that other dialects of Arabic, Syrian, Libyan, Cairene, and San”ani, among other dialects, resort to voicing assimilation to avoid the formation of geminates. To account for this process, I will use the constraints: Agree ( feature) (Beckman (1998) and Lombardi (1999)) and No Gem Bakovic (2005), Hall (2003 and 2006) and Rose (2000)) among other interacting marked-ness and faithfulness constraints.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jflcc.v4n2a5