A Comparative Study of Iraqi and Najdi Arabic Word-initial and Word-final Consonant Cluster Saja Albuarabi ([email protected]) & Hanyong Park ([email protected]) Department of Linguistics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Midphon 24, UW-Milwaukee, WI, October 5, 2019 Main Point Figure 3. Mean proportions (%) of word-initial consonant cluster Our experimental study using nonwords reveals productions with prothesis and epenthesis by Najdi speakers. 100% phonological constraints on CCs in Iraqi and Najdi 80% Arabic, which may not be apparent in descriptive 60% studies examining real words. 40% 20% Research Question 0% N+F F+N S+N L+F N+S How will Iraqi and Najdi Arabic speakers produce Prothesis Epenthesis word-initial and word-final consonant clusters (CCs) in • Najdi speakers: mostly epenthesis. nonwords? Figure 4. Mean proportions (%) of word-final consonant cluster Analysis: Accurate CC production (%) & Error analysis productions with epenthesis by Iraqi and Najdi speakers. Background (Epenthesis or prothesis?) for the CCs with 50% or 100% higher errors. 80% Iraqi Arabic: CC is not allowed in the southern 60% dialects of Iraqi Arabic (Albazi, 2006; Blanc, 1964; Results 40% Erwin, 1969). All descriptive studies. 20% Figure 1. Mean correct production (%) of word-initial and Najdi Arabic: Word-initial CC is allowed in specific word-finial consonant clusters by Iraqi and Najdi speakers. 0% N+L L+N F+N N+F G+L F+S S+N 1 environments: (S+F, N, L), (F+N, L), (N+G), & (L+G) 100% Iraqi Epenthesis Najdi Epenthesis word-initial CC word-final CC 80% (Alghmaiz, 2013); Word-final CC is allowed in falling 61% 60% sonority clusters regardless of sonority steps • Both Iraqi and Najdi speakers had difficulty for 40% 24% 26% similar word-final CC types. (Alkhonini, 2014) 20% 4% 0% Iraqi Najdi General findings • Both Iraqi and Najdi speakers had difficulty in • In general, Iraqi speakers repair word-initial CCs with producing CCs. Najdi speakers had more difficulty epenthesis. However, they do with prothesis for the with word-final CCs. word-initial CCs with nasal. Figure 2. Mean proportions (%) of word-initial consonant cluster • Both Iraqi and Najdi speakers have difficulty Methods productions with prothesis and epenthesis by Iraqi speakers. producing similar types of word-final CCs. 100% • In general, Najdi speakers do not produce word-initial Participants: 5 Iraqi (Southern dialects) & 5 Najdi 80% speakers; Both males and females; Ages 19-36. 60% CCs with nasal correctly, except for N+G Stimuli: 20 word-initial CCaCi and 20 word-final 40% 20% Answer to the Research Question CəCC; Nonwords in Arabic; manner combinations 0% (claimed to be allowed) in Najdi dialect (Table 2) L+G N+F F+N F+L S+N L+F N+S N+G S+L • Iraqi speakers have difficulty producing CCs but they Prothesis Epenthesis Procedure: Reading a list of nonsense words in can produce some word-final CCs. • Iraqi speakers: epenthesis for most word-initial CCs isolation presented in Arabic; No repetition. • Najdi speakers do have difficulty producing CCs, ___________________________________________ and prothesis for nasal + fricative, fricative + nasal, especially word-final CCs, even falling sonority CCs 1) S=Stop, F=Fricative, N=Nasal, L=Liquid, G=Glide and nasal + stop stimuli. (e.g., N+F).