Arabic: An Essential Grammar

plus a consonant (CV ̄C). No syllable can start with more than one

consonant.

1a) The stress falls on the first long syllable counting from the end of

the word. However, the final syllable cannot itself carry the stress,

except when the word has only one syllable, e.g. yak-tu-bu ̄-na,

qal-bun,

uq-tu-lu ̄, ka-tab-tum, ka-tab-tun-na, mam-la-ka-tun,

d

̄

u ̄. (The hyphens here indicate syllable not morpheme junctures.)

1b) Another tradition holds that if the first long syllable is the fourth

syllable counting from the end or any syllable before that syllable,

then the third syllable counting from the end receives the stress,

e.g. mam-la-ka-tun.

2. If there is no long syllable or if only the last syllable is long, the

first syllable receives the stress, e.g. ka-ta-ba, qa-ta-lu ̄, sa-ma-ka-

tun, sa-ma-ka-tu-hu-ma ̄. According to another tradition, in these

cases the stress cannot be retracted to an earlier position than the

third syllable counting from the end. E.g. sa-ma-ka-tun, sa-ma-ka-

tu-hu-ma ̄.

3. The stress cannot normally fall on the definite article

al- or a

prefixed preposition or conjunction, e.g.

al-ya-du, ka-d

̄

a ̄, wa-ra-

mat.

Note: The final short vowel or final syllable of certain word endings to be dealt

with later tend to be left out in pronunciation, especially in pausa (at the end

of a sentence). Yet the given stress rules still apply in most cases, if you bear in

mind that the final vowel or syllable has been lost. E.g. maf-hu ̄m(-un), mad-ra-

sa(-tun), sa-ma-ka(-tun), lub-na ̄-nı ̄ (lub-na ̄-niy-yun).

Exercises

Read and practise your handwriting:

َسـ ِفـي ٍر ُحـ ُرو ٌف ِحـ َما ًرا َر َمى َكـ ِري ٌم

(1) h

̇

uru ̄fun safı

• rin karı
  
  
  • mun rama ̄ h
    ̇
  
  
  
  

ima ̄ran

letters ambassador generous to throw donkey

23

Long

vowels,

alif

maqs

̇

u ̄rah,

dagger

alif,

word stress