The Arabic verb : form and meaning in the vowel-lengthening patterns / Warwick Danks.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Danks, Warwick.

Series:

Studies in functional and structural linguistics ; v. 63.

Studies in functional and structural linguistics ; v. 63

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Arabic language--Verb.

Arabic language--Morphology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (300 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam [Netherlands] ; Philadelphia [Pa.] : John Benjamins Pub. Company, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The Arabic verbal system is, for most grammarians, the keystone of the language. Notable for the regularity of its patterns, it presents the linguist with an unparalleled opportunity to explore the Saussurean notion of the indivisible sign: form and meaning. Whilst Arabic forms are well-documented, the elucidation of the corresponding meanings has proved more challenging. Beginning with an examination of the verbal morphology of Modern Standard Arabic, including an evaluation of the significance of the consonantal root, this volume then concentrates on establishing the function of the vowel-lengthening verbal patterns (III and VI). It explores issues of mutuality and reciprocity, valency and transitivity, ultimately focusing on atelic lexical aspect as the unified meaning of these patterns. This study is rich in data and relies extensively upon contemporary examples (with transliteration and translation) to illustrate its arguments, adopting an empirical structuralist approach which is aimed both at general linguists and at specialist Arabists.

Contents:

The Arabic Verb

Editorial page

Title page

LCC data

Dedication page

Table of contents

Preface

Notes on symbols, abbreviations and other conventions followed in examples

1. Introduction

2. Verbal morphology and the lexicon

2.1 Arabic verbal morphology

2.1.1 Inflectional morphology

2.1.2 Derivational morphology

2.2 Distribution of verbal patterns in the lexicon

2.2.1 Data collection

2.2.2 Comparison of data with existing sources

2.2.3 Quantitative analysis of the data

2.3 Summary

3. Alternative morphologies

3.1 Alternatives to the Arabic root as the primary basis of derivation

3.1.1 Word- and stem-based approaches

3.1.2 Matrices, etymons and radicals

3.2 Prosodic templatic morphology

3.2.1 Three morphemic tiers

3.2.2 Prosodic analysis

3.3 Summary

4. Understanding Arabic verbal semantics

4.1 The grammarian's dilemma

4.2 Specific approaches from the grammars

4.2.1 The 'reductionist' approach

4.2.2 The 'explicit specification' approach

4.2.3 The approaches compared

4.3 The linguist's contribution

4.3.1 Semitic comparative linguistics

4.3.2 The synchronic linguist's perspective

4.4 Summary

5. Evaluating the pattern III - pattern VI semantic relationship

5.1 Selection of patterns III and VI

5.2 Mutuality and reciprocity

5.2.1 Data collection

5.2.2 Data interpreted

5.3 Pattern III conativity

5.4 Summary

6. Transitivity and valency

6.1 Defining transitivity in Arabic

6.1.1 Transitive verbs

6.1.2 Intransitive verbs

6.1.3 Ambitransitivity

6.1.4 Transitivity through a preposition

6.1.5 Multi-transitive verbs

6.2 Valency

6.3 Data collection

6.4 Data analysis

6.4.1 Valency and the ta- prefix

6.4.2 Valency and relationships with pattern I

6.5 Summary.

7. The pattern III template: From form to meaning

7.1 Formal characterisation of pattern III

7.2 Vowel lengthening and plurality

7.2.1 An introduction to verbal plurality

7.2.2 Mutuality and reciprocity as verbal plurality

7.2.3 Summary - Plurality

7.3 The long ā in Arabic morphology

7.3.1 Nominal templates with long ā

7.3.2 Commonalities of meaning

7.3.3 Summary - Hypothesis of long ā as an aspectual marker

8. An aspectual model for Modern Standard Arabic

8.1 Defining aspect

8.2 The Arabic s-stem and p-stem verb forms: Tense or grammatical aspect?

8.3 Vendler's aspectual categories

8.4 Olsen's scheme

8.4.1 Overview

8.4.2 Application to MSA

8.5 Summary

9. Aspectual categorisation of patterns III and VI

9.1 Data

9.1.1 Verbs of ACTIVITY and STATE

9.1.2 Other categories represented

9.2 Summary

10. Inceptive aspect

10.1 The case for a lexical aspect category of INCEPTIVE

10.2 Extension of Olsen's scheme for INCEPTIVES

10.2.1 Feature marking of the onset phase

10.2.2 Other feature marking combinations

10.2.3 Extended scheme for lexical aspect categories

10.3 Inceptive verbs in patterns III and VI

10.4 Summary

11. The passive in patterns III and VI

11.1 Passive formation by vowel melody change

11.1.1 Corpus data evidence

11.1.2 Native speaker evidence

11.1.3 Conclusion

11.2 Passive participle formation

11.2.1 Dictionary evidence

11.2.2 Native speaker evidence

11.2.3 Corpus data evidence

11.2.4 Conclusion

11.3 Verbal noun forms

11.4 Summary

12. Conclusions

12.1 Overview

12.2 The characteristics of patterns III and VI

12.2.1 Form

12.2.2 Meaning

12.2.3 Relating form and meaning

12.3 Directions for further research

12.3.1 Nominal aspect

12.3.2 Aspect and passivisability.

12.3.3 Inceptivity of state and of activity

12.3.4 Alternative verbal noun forms

12.3.5 Defining atelicity

12.4 Summary

Bibliography

Appendix I. Data tables

Appendix II. Semantic category labels

Appendix III. Native speaker questionnaire

Appendix IV. Passive participles in patterns III and VI

Name index

Subject index

The series Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786613093141

9781283093149

1283093146

9789027286956

9027286957

OCLC:

717175826