Harmony in Sound Assimilation in Arabic: the Quranic Recitation as a Model
Fawziyah Ali Al-Qudah and Mariam Jabr Freihat, Department of Arabic Language, Irbid University College, Al- Balqa' Applied University, Irbid, Jordan.
Abstract
The research investigates one of the aspects of Arabic, namely, the aspect of assimilation in the sound of this language. It is an aspect related to sound and their interaction. This influence is relative which aims at sort of analogy or similarity between them. Added to their proximity is their closeness in characteristics or in articulations. This influence, in its turn, leads to phonetic harmony between the sounds of language.
The research showed that these neighboring sounds differ in their impact on each other. A sound may lose some of its characteristics in order to be close or in harmony with the characteristics of other neighboring sounds. However, this influence may lead to the nonexistence of this sound by the effect of a neighboring one in a way that it disappears. Scholar called this sound disappearance assimilation. The recitation of the Holy Quran has represented the perfect model of assimilating sounds. Therefore, most of the instances have been derived from verses of the Holy Quran as well as from other instances of Arabic sounds.
The research has revealed that all similar Arabic sounds are likely to be assimilated, except for what scholars mentioned concerning referred to in regard to Al-Hamzah which cannot be assimilated with its like.
The research clarified the concept of assimilation, its conditions, reality, letters and its reasons. Finally, the reasons for refraining from assimilation, in spite of its due conditions, were mentioned.