The phonetic perception of letter articulation in Al-Mu'addib and Al-'Ayni : A study in light of linguistic heritage

Abstract

This research examines the phonetic representation of the articulation points of Arabic letters, using al-Mu'addab and al-'Ayni as applied models. It reveals the importance of phonetics and clarifies the foundations upon which these authors based their morphological works, such as "Daqa'iq al-Tasrif" and "Sharh al-Marah fi al-Tasrif," and the extent to which they were influenced by the efforts of early Arab scholars like al-Khalil, Sibawayh, al-Mubarrad, and Ibn Jinni. The research also explores the relationship between morphology and phonetics by demonstrating the phonetic impact on morphological structure. The study employs an analytical approach, tracing the texts related to the articulation points of Arabic letters in the works of al-Mu'addab and al-'Ayni and comparing them with the writings of other Arab scholars. This research demonstrates that al-'Ayni's approach to phonetic issues is more expansive and detailed, unlike al-Mu'addab's, whose style is characterized by brevity and focus. Al-Qasim bin Saeed Al-Muaddab and Al-Aini agreed to postpone the discussion of sounds until the end of the book, which is consistent with the general approach of morphology scholars, as they used to dedicate a chapter or section at the end of the work to discussing sounds, their characteristics, and their points of articulation.