Trustees of Indiana University Anthropological Linguistics

Verbal and Nominal Forms of Najdi Arabic Author(s): A. Aziz I. Al-Sweel Source: Anthropological Linguistics, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Spring, 1987), pp. 71-90 Published by: The Trustees of Indiana University on behalf of Anthropological Linguistics Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30028090 . Accessed: 12/09/2011 07:57
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FORMS OF NAJDIARABIC* VERBAL AND NOMINAL

A. Aziz I. Al-Sweel
King Saud University

ABSTRACT, This paper is a descriptive account of the verbal and of the desert nominal forms of Najdi Arabic. NA is the dialect is the least This dialect region of the Arabian Peninsula. modern It within linguistics. among Arabic dialects, studied, to is hypothesized still that NA is the closest spoken, dialect, the Classical like this we hope to be Arabic. Through studies More on more facts of Classical able to shed more light Arabic. on so-called in general will cerdialects studies peninsular truth about the many generaliunveil much of the alleged tainly zations made regarding all Arabic dialects. part of Arabia constitutNajd, the middle region of the desert no There is Saudi Arabia. scientific geographical ing today's for the area called it is limitation Najd, but usually (locally) to the area lying used to refer from Yemen to the south to the borders of Jordan to the north, and from the Ahsa oasis to the east to the mountains of Asiir to the of Hijaz and the plains west. This paper, however, to the dialect is limited spoken in area and to some extent in Hail to the north. the Al-Qassim refers This dialect is what Johnston to as the Shammari type Johnston is NA the least studied (see among Arabic 1967a, b). in the framework of modern linguistics, dialects and therefore references are less than one hand's fingers in number (see, for Lehn 1967; and Abboud 1975, 1978; Czapkiewicz example, 1975). who visited Eurpoean explorers Najd in the 18th and 19th centuries (not much visited at that time) wrote some descriptive of the dialect. accounts TO DERIVATION, This paper is about INTRODUCTION 0.1, verbal and nominal forms of NA, especially derived The forms. term "derived" is used here to indicate a regular relationship of form and meaning between existing words of the same root, not In this sense the more complex of two historical development. forms is considered to be derived from the simpler; the latter is termed the basic one (see Al-Sweel 1981).

0,0,

NAJDI ARABIC. (NA) is a dialect

of Arabic spoken in

1.1, NABASIC VERBAL FORMS, Three basic patterns are in the verbal encountered system of NA (Bakalla 1979; Ingham The table illustrates the three forms: 1982). following

71

72
Strong Verbs sirib to drink kitab to write

Anthropological
WeakVerbs

Linguistics,
Doubled Verbs

Vol.

29, No. 1

9add to count diri to know to stop yammto aim at wigaf bass to feel hasab to calculate gal to say is usually The pattern used as a canonical shape, but due fvcvl the vowels in its to the fact that the second radical affects the arbitrarily (see Al-Sweel neighbourhood 1981; Brame 1970), The three basic patbe used instead. chosen form fvbvl will terns of NA verbs are given below: to as high pattern.1 fibil: a. Examples: may be referred simi9 to hear girib to drink
'

fitin

to remember

yibis bital fitah

to dry up

b.

fibal:

may be referred
kitab to write gita9 to cut

to as mixed pattern.
to continue to open

Examples:

c.

fabal:

may be referred
ahaa6 to beg hasab to calculate

to as low pattern.
hasad to envy sarag to steal

Examples:

Arabic (CA) (see Thorton forms exhibited derived by Classical forms are given below: derived These 1933). 1919; Wright the class the basic from formed is Fabbal fvbvl by doubling (2) extensiveor form This second radical. intensivity signifies The folin some cases. as a causative It also functions ness. form: this illustrate lowing examples kisar to break kassar to smash gall to be few gallal to cause to be few daxxal to cause to go in daxal to go in to go out talla9 to cause to go out tala fvbvl pattern by lengthening (3) Fabal is formed from the basic the It has many functions, the first radical. the vowel a after of which is that of reciprocity. Examples of most important the following: this include xibar to tell each other xabar news kitab to write katab to write to each other k~tal to fight each other exhibits sometimes This pattern lowing examples show: kital to kill function as the fola stative

1,2,

VERBAL DERIVED NA FORMS, NA exhibits

the main nine

Forms of Najdi

Arabic

73

nabar to look
calam to call s~qad to help

?a- to the is formed by prefixing (4) The fourth form, ?afbal, basic form fvbvl, the first vowel to This form is drop. causing factive or causative. Examples of this form are provided below. 7arcab to give a ride ricib to ride
?adxal to get ... in daxal to get in

?arbak to confuse ribak to be confused is formed from the second pattern, (5) The fifth form, tvfabbal, ti- adds The prefix to it. ti(or ta-) by prefixing fabbal, the reflexive to the functions of the second form menfunction tioned in (2) above. The following examples are of this pattern. ticallam tifarraj taCallam to learn to speak to watch kallam to talk to farraj to show 9allam to teach

taxarraj to graduate xarraj to take out tiis formed by prefixing (6) The sixth (or ta-) form, tvfabal, to the third form. of This form is reflexive the prefix because in that the f~bal form itself but also reciprocal is recipti-, The result rocal. is a collective. Examples of this form follow. tikItab
tisavad

to write to each other

to help each other

katab to write to
saqad to help ...

taxagar to share
taqCraf to know each other

xaar

to share with

qaraf to know ...

is formed from the basic pattern, (7) The seventh form, infvbal, ?- is inserted n-. at the beginning of the by prefixing fvbvl, word after a pause, and i is inserted to break the cluster of three consonants. This form has a passive function. inkitab it was written inlitab it was cracked inhalab it was milked
inxatab he was engaged

kitab to write litab to crack halab to milk

xatab to get engaged

(8)

The eighth

form,

-ti(or -ta-) by inserting radicals. As expected, the cluster of three consonants of i- to triggers epenthesis reflexive form of the basic

?iftvbal,

is

formed

from

the

basic

pattern

between the first and the second a first rise to a drops, giving at the beginning of the word. This the form. This is properly the The reciprocal fvbvl pattern.

74

Anthropological

Linguistics, This

Vol. latter

29,

No. 1

is also very common to this form. function arises from its being reflexive. ?iftilal to feel shy figil to be shy bisam to smile ?ibtisam to smile ?iftaxar ?ibtlas to be proud to be in trouble

function

faxar to be proud bilig to be in trouble

is formed from the basic pattern (9) The ninth form, ?ifball, by It is intensiveness. Its function the third radical. doubling of color, and emois usually used to express defect, properties for 1977 tions dialects). (see Erwin 1962 and Qafisheh comparable are examples of this pattern: The following siwid to be black ?iswadd to become black himir to be red ?ilmarr to become red
?istarr ?ihtarr to become happy to become hot sarr harr to make ... to make ... happy hot

sta- to is formed by prefixing (10) The tenth form, ?istafbal, In NA, denominative. This form is frequently the basic form. in that it has two subform is particularly this interesting above and a cluster the normal one mentioned classes: form, The a formed from which is verb. gutteral-initial ?istfvbal, for these verbs but it is less exists normal form, however, forms as the following cluster than their encountered examples show. ?istarjal to be a man ?istarxa ?istarba to relax to seek to satisfy
to sit upright as a servant to use (a person)

or istacdal ?istcadal ?istxadam or istaxdam

?isthadaf

or istahdaf

to aim at something

derived and peculiar NA has some particular Classical Arabic, in exist in CA and not forms that do verbal any other perhaps introduce these I will follows In what peculiar Arabic dialect. and construction their morphological forms and discuss verbal function. verbal forms, which I will 2,1,0, POTENTIAL. Two derived in NA. as the potential, exist refer to collecitvely henceforth the normal which will be called There is the form yintifabbal which will be called and there is the form yintif~bal potential, the reciprocal potential. is capable of that the subject form indicates The potential for the is inflected the action. an imperfect Only undergoing

2,0,

DERIVEDFORMS, Despite NA-PECULIAR

its

relation

to

Forms of Najdi

Arabic

75

Its formation is a complex morphological process, potential. as and may be analyzed follows. 2..1.. Normal potential is formed by prefixing n- to the had tito it, form fabbal which has already (or ta-) prefixed form numbered (2) discussed in from the derived verbal i.e., 1.2, above. This is formed by doubling the second radical of of the normal potential The formation the basic form fvbvl. form in NA may be schematized as follows:
fvbvl
+

fabbal

+ tvfabbal

-ntvfabbal.

The following pattern. High Pattern 1. 2.

paradigms

illustrate

forms

related

to this

gibiv he became full

gabbe he made somebody full 5. tivabbaq he made himself full p. yintigabbaq he could be made full Low Pattern 1. 2. 5. xalat he mixed xallat he mixed repeatedly taxallat it got mixed it could be mixed

p. yintaxallat Mixed Pattern 1. 2. 5. p.

kitab he wrote kattab he wrote repeatedly tikattab it got written repeatedly yintikattab it could be written repeatedly More examples of normal potential in NA follow: yintaqallam he could be told yintisanna9 yintiga2Inflection Singular antacallam tintatallam
tintarallimln

it could be fixed it could be shopped or shopping could be done of normal potential in NA is given below: I could be told you s.m. could be told
you s.f. could

Plural nintaeallam tintacallimn

tintacalliman

we could be told you p.m. could be told

you p.f. could

be told

be told

76
yintacallam tintaqallam

Anthropological
he could be told she could be told

Linguistics,

Vol.

29, No. 1

yintacallim~n yintaqalliman

they m. could be told they f. could be told

NA may be schematized
fvbvl fabal The following pattern. High Pattern 1. simi9 to hear 3. 5. P. 1. 3. 5. P.

n- to is formed by prefixing 2.1.2. Reciprocal potential has the form fabal, which as is the case in normal potential, from the third had tito it, (or ta-) prefixed i.e., already form number (3) discussed This in 1.2, above. derived verbal of the the vowel of the first is formed by lengthening syllable of the reciprocal form in The formation basic form. potential

as follows:

tvfabal

-ntifabal. illustrate forms related to this

paradigms

samaq to whisper tisamaq to whisper to each other

yintis&maq to be able to be whispered to Low Pattern xalat to mix xalat to mix with taxalat
More

to mix with each other to be able to be mixed with

of this pattern follow: examples

yintaxalat

yintisaham could be shared with yintifiham could be negotiated with yintaqada could be treated as an enemy Inflexion Singular antax~lat tintaxalat
tintaxalitin
yintaxalat

of reciprocal I could be mixed with you s.m. could be mixed with you s.f.
be mixed

potential Plural

in NA goes

as follows:

nintaxalat tintaxalitan tintaxalitan

yintaxalitan

we could be mixed with you p.m. could be mixed with you p.f.
be mixed

could
with

could
with

he could be mixed with

them m. could be mixed with

tintaxalat

she could be
mixed with

tintaxalitan

they f. could
be mixed with

Forms of Najdi

Arabic

77

2,2, PRETENSIVE,The form tif8bal is a verbal form which in CA, but is a NA verbal does not exist It is not easy form. to label form with any of the available this particular termiit donates labels. Among other less common functions, nological of pretending. It most frequently the function means to pretend to be ... or to appear like ..., and we may, henceforth, call it pretensive. The pretensive the first vowel of the is formed by raising basic form fvbvl to the mid-vowel to Furthere, i.e., f~bal. tvThe it to be to is it. prefixed pretensive requires more, inflected in both the perfective and the imperfective as the examples show: following Perfect Imperfect
to pretend to be taZZll ytitgwal to pretend to be cross-eyed ytabhwal fvbvl + febal + tvf8bal ytvfgbal The form fabal exists in the dialect but is very Some examples follow: newat to pass ... to ... titawal ta1hwal d~war to make a U turn in a car rawas to back up in a car 9awaj to bend More examples of the pretensive tayvba to pretend to be dumb timawat to pretend to be dead taieraj to pretend to be lame to pretend to be ignorant tijhal of this The perfective inflexion Singular tah9walt tabwal I pretended to be cross-eyed you s.m. pretended to be cross-eyed pattern follow:

rare.

form runs

as follows:

tahbwalti you s.f. pretended to be cross-eyed

tat~wal -he pretended

Plural tahgwalna we pretended to be cross-eyed tabwaltu you p.m. pretended to be cross-eyed tahbwalan you p.f. pretended to be cross-eyed
tahbwalaw they m. pre-

to be crosseyed

tended to be cross-eyed

78

Anthropological

Linguistics,

Vol.

29,

No.

tahewalan they f. pretah9walat she pretended to be crosstended to be cross-eyed eyed inflection is as follows: Its imperfective Singular ?atahgwal I pretend to be cross-eyed tahbwal you s.m. pretend to be cross-eyed
tah-walgn you s.f. pre-

Plural ntahBwal tahbwalfn we pretend to be cross-eyed you p.m. pretend to be cross-eyed

you p.f. pre-

tabhwalan

tend to be tend to be cross-eyed cross-eyed ytah9wal he pretends to ytahgwalbn they m. pretend to be cross-eyed be cross-eyed she pretends tahbwal ytahgwalan they f. pretend to be cross-eyed to be crosseyed feminine that the first-person Notice ending is singular and that the first-person of the usual -in, -an instead plural It is interesting of the usual -an. is -6n instead masculine which that the vowel in both cases is a mid-vowel to notice interAnother of verbal form. this the formation characterizes of the in cases here is the assimilation point to notice esting t-initial prefixes.

DERIVEDNOUNS, Most of NA's nominal forms are 3,0, Verbs are the source of from other more basic forms. derived to as These forms are referred of derived nouns. the majority from adjectives. Some nominal forms are derived Verbal Nouns. The followfrom other nouns. And a number of them are derived nominal of derived three the illustrate categories ing examples forms respectively: flabih farming falah to farm
habib friendly rajil a man hababih friendliness marjlih manliness

the Verbal nouns are nominal forms that express 3.1.0, verb. of the underlying in the radicals notion contained They an indicate have the general They usually meaning of that verb. The of the base verb. a or a a quality state, function, event, of these forms depends to a great degree on the class derivation Within these classes, of verbal base from which it is derived. are derivable. nominal of different a number patterns however, is less and I in Class This is noticeable verbs, especially in other classes. encountered

Forms of Najdi

Arabic

79

triliteral 3.1.1, TRILITERALS., There are ten different There are a number of possible nominal forms for nominal forms. Class I verbs are the basic verbal forms of each verbal class; consist of the derived verbal Classes forms II-X, 1.1, above; numbers in 1,2. with corresponding CLASSI, This is by far the most productive 3.1.1.1. It exhibits a number of nominal forms. Its derivation class. is quite irregular. The following are the most common nominal forms of Class I triliteral that the pattern verbs. Notice of the the pattern low, or mixed) does not affect (i.e., high, nominal forms derived from verbs of this class: 1. Nominal pattern fbUl ricib to ride high mixed rijaV to return low
2.

rclb riding rjaT returning hrib fleeing labg following lats minding darb hitting ribh a win tacab tiredness sabir patience talab demanding sbahih swimming sbcyih dye drasih studying hizin sadness
sitir cover

harab to flee
fabl - fibl

Nominal pattern

high mixed low

lihidz litas

to follow to mind

3.

darab to hit ribih to win high Nominal pattern fabal - fabil tiqib to get tired high mixed low sibar to withhold talab to demand
fba:lih

4.

Nominal pattern

high mixed low

5. Nominal

sibih to swim siby to dye daras to study

pattern fibil - fabal

high
mixed

hizin to be sad
sitar to cover

low low Weak verbs:

6. Pattern yibis

mayal to make busy racad to thunder

liyil work racad thunder

1 fbu:l to dry ybu:s dryness

wisil

to reach, arrive

wsu:1 arrival

80 7. Pattern 4 fba:lih

Anthropological

Linguistics,

Vol.

29,

No.

sag to drive ras to head 8. Nominal pattern bay' to want

swagih/syagih ryasih fa:bi bayi want

driving heading

sawa to roast
9. Nominal pattern

sawi roasting
fo:l and fe:12

gal to say Xaf to fear

10.

g61 saying x5l fear

xat to sew bar to sell

xat a thread bg9 selling

Nominal pattern fibl zilim to know high

mixed low ---

9ilm knowledge

There are two patterns CLASS II, II verbs. from Class forms derived for Class The nominal tafbi:l pattern A. verbs:3 weak (lame) search taftiv fattas to search

3,1,1.2.

for II

nominal except

verbs

gassam to divide
nawwar to light yabbas to dry

tagsIm dividing
tanwir taybIs light drying

B.

for weak Class II verbs: tafbat The nominal pattern tarbat growing something rabba to grow something taswat making something even sawwa to make even from Class
nominal

forms

3.1,1,3,
derived
A. The saad
Iawal B. The

CLASS III.

There are three III verbs.

patterns

for

nominal

or mfaralih pattern msaadih helping to help to try

mhawilih pattern

mfabilih:

a trial
mnabar looking

nominal to look

mfabal

n~aar gbab hawal C. The

to hold

each

other

to quarrel nominal pattern mfab~t

mga.ab mhwal

holding a quarrel

each

other

ganB to sue s5da to be enemy to lawa to bend

mga6at m9ad't mlawat

a suit hostility bending each other

Forms

of

Najdi

Arabic

81 One pattern of nominal That is the pattern ifbl: forms is possi-

ble

from

3.1.1.4.

these

verbs.

CLASSIV,

adxal to cause to enter arcab to give a ride

idxal causing something to enter irc~b giving a ride

There is one possible nominal form of tifibbil:

3.1.1.5.
these verbs.

CLASSV.
That is

ticallam
tifarrav tacallam taxarra'

to talk
to watch to learn to graduate

ticillim
tifirri5 ticillim tixirri5

talking
watching learning graduating

of

these

3.1.1.6.

verbs.

CLASS VI,
That is

tifibil

There is one pattern

tiqirif tinisi tixivir

taV5raf to know each other tanasa to pretend to forget taXa'ar to share forms

for weak verbs): (or tifibi knowing each other pretending to forget

for nominal forms

3.1.1.7.
derived
to crack

from these

CLASSVII.

verbs

sharing The only pattern

is the pattern

possible
infiba:l:4

for nominal

intibah to pay attention

insitab insidah to Zay down

intibah attention
insitab insidah a crack Zaying down

verbs
ifti'al

3.1.1.8.
is

iftiba:l:5

CLASS VIII, The only possible

iftial ibtis:m iftixar shyness smiling

pattern

for the

ibtisam iftaxar
ifbil=1:6

to feel shy to smile to feel

proud

pride

3.1.1.9
to stretch

CLASS IX, One pattern

isfirar
imtidad

is possible.

That

is

isfarr
imtadd

to become yellow

becoming yellow
stretching

3.1.1.10.
A. istifbal:

CLASS X,

B.

istirxms seeking a permission istarxas to seek permission istiemal using ista9mal to use for Class X verbs derived fromweak low verbs istifalih
(triliterals): istifad
istara ista9~n

to make use of
to relax to seek help

istifadih
istirahih isti9nih

making use of
relaxation seeking help

82

Anthropological

Linguistics, possible

Vol.

29, for

No.

verbs quadriliteral laqwaz to trouble to annoy nagras to bother naxjar Reduplicated

3,1.2.

QUADRILITERALS. The only

in NA fablilih: troubling annoying bothering verbs follow laqwizih naxjirih nagrisih

pattern

quadriliteral

the

regular

pattern:

zalzal to quake laclaV to shout

Derived quadriliterals

zalzilih quaking la9licih a shout

have the pattern tifiblil:

talaqwaz to have troubles tifanjal to have tea

tiliqwiz tifinjil

having troubles having tea in a cup

tizalzal

to quake

tizilzil

quaking
referred to in

The forms fibal/fgbal and tif6bal/tifgbal, the pretensive. A. The form fEbal/fibal.
febal + flbilih

2.2

as

newat

to hand

newitih

handing

rewas7 to make a reverse

2. fobal
+

riwisih
or rewas

a reverse

f~bal/fibilih:

96kas to cause trouble hasan to make somebody feel sorry h56al to make singinglike noise
s5far B. The form to whistle tifgbal/tif6bal:

9ckas causing trouble hnsan making somebody feel sorry h5bilih making singinglike noise
sbfirih whistling

1.

The form tif~bal titgwal

tabwal

-+ taf5bal: titiwil
tihiwil

to pretend to be tall
to pretend cross-eyed to be

pretending to
be taZZll to pretending be cross-eyed to reach trying something

tanewat

to try to reach something

tintwit

2.

The

form

tifbbal

tafibal:
9ikis having problems a dilemma what

tacDkas ta96mas taIasan

to have problems to have a dilemma not to know what to do

i~m~ms having

hfasan not knowing to do

Forms of Najdi

Arabic

83

INSTANCE NOUNS. This is an attested Classical 3.1.3. Arabic form (ismul marrah) although the particular pattern may a single occurrence differ in NA. It designates of the underlyInstance nouns are usually form. derived by suffixing verbal -ih to the verbal noun. ing A. Strong Verbs:
rigas to dance ragsih a dance

li9ib
sirib

to play
to drink

li9bih
giribih

a game
a sip

B.

Weak Verbs: 1. fl + f6lih:

nam to sleep namih a nap gjmih standing sidih becoming a leader gam to stand up + filih: fl yab to be absent

2.

sad to become a leader

ygbih8 absence a death

But notice
A.

also 1

forms

like:
mitih

mAt to die

to live

say to form

91!ih a living siyih a form

B.

ticallam to talk

cilmih a word

Derived verbs (Classes do II-X) and quadriliterals have instance nouns. Arabic form UNIT NOUNS, This is also a Classical 3,1.4, The pattern in NA may, however, from differ (ismu lhayah). that of the classical This form designates an indilanguage. vidual unit of the underlying Derived by sufcollective noun. -ih to the collective noun: fixing 3. not usually
dijaj b36 chickens eggs dij2jih bSbih a chicken an egg

xTIxih a peach peaches rommanpomegranate rommnniha pomegranate There are, however, some exceptions to this are some examples of these exceptions. following 5ibin cheese 5ibnih a piece of cheese
ramil sand dihin fat Macar hair naxal palm trees ramlih a sand dihnih l9arih nxalih a piece a hair a palm tree of fat

xUx

pattern.

The

84 cows trees

Anthropological bgirih s3irih a cow a tree

Linguistics,

Vol.

29,

No.

bigar sijar

bisal onions
gita
hasa

bsalih an onion
gitat
hasat

sandpipers
pebbles

a sandpiper
a pebble

3.1.5.
A.

Human and animal

-ih to the jidd a grandfather camman uncle calb a dog zoo3 a husband

FEMININE NOUNS,
corresponding

feminine
viddih

forms
masculine

are

formed
nominal

by suffixing
form.

a grandmother cammih an aunt a bitch a wife require a vowel elision:

calbih zoovih forms

B.

A group

of

feminine

jahil 9dilp talib

C. Another elision

ignorant m. wise m. a student m.

jahlih qdzlih tlbih

ignorant f. wife f. a student f.

forms are elision: formed by vowel

group of feminine and a consonantal

mqazzib an employer m. mdarris a teacher m.

myassil D. Nouns
after

mqazbih an employer f. mdarsih a teacher f.

myaslih
i

a washer m.
ending
suffixing

a washer the
u
+

f.
following change

in

i or
-ih:

u go through
+ y and

w.

rami a shooter m. sagi 6abi a drink server m. an antelope m. 9ibu a memberm.

a pearl m. a young stallion

ramyih a shooter f. sagyih a drink server babyih an antelope ci6wih a memberf.

luulwih filwih a pearl a mare m.

f.

f.

luulu filu E.

is The suffix -iyyih feminine counterpart. too. relative suffix, yani h~di yabi giwi a rich male a quiet a stupid a strong male male male

added to some nouns It is the feminine yaniyyih h~diyyih yabiyyih giwiyyih a rich woman a quiet a stupid a strong woman woman female

to form the (nisbah)

sc9di a Saudi male

ssidiyyih

a Saudi female

forms

of najdi gtiri sari

arabic a qatari male a syrian male participles

for

85 gtiriyyih striyyih as nouns,

strong verbs:

3,2.1,
1.

a qatari female a syrian female active participles: first,

class i: fa:bil a. kitab

hasab to count
to write

lhsib a counter
katib a writer

girib to drink b.

sarib a drinker verbs: a buyer

a finder

for defective fa:bi sara to buy gari

liga to find ldzi

diri
c. weak

to know
verbs

dari
fa:yib: gayil xayif

a knowledged m.
a sayer afraid

gal to say xaf to fear

c~b to defect

defective gass a story telling 9add counting madd stretching

d.

doubled

verbs

fabb:

gass to tell a story 9add to count madd to stretch

2. ii: class a. mfabbil:

faval

to embarrass

mfallil

an embarrassing (matter)

xayyam to tent

mxayyim a camper

xawwaf to cause somebody to be afraid saffag to clap one's hands b. defective

salla hayya

mxawwif dreadful msaffidz clapper

one one (thing)

verbs

mfabbi:
msalli mhayyi a praying a greeting

to pray to greet

rawwa to water

mrawwi a watering

sadda to rust 3. class iii

safar kitab catab

msaddi rusty
msifir to each other mkatib m9atib a traveller a writer rebuke

mfa:bil:
to travel to write to rebuke

86

Anthropological Class IV: mifbil A. axbar

Linguistics,

Vol.

29,

No.

4.

for to

strong tell

verbs: mixbir a teller

adxal azcal B. mifbi

to cause enter to cause be angry for

something somebody

to to

midxil mizil

somebody who causes to enter something somebody somebody angry causing to be

defective

verbs: mirxi a Zoosener mir8i a satisfier miyri attractive mirsi anchorer

arxa to loosen arba to satisfy ayra to attract arsa to anchor

5. Class V: mtifabbil A. tisallaf tavallam
+

mtafabbil: mtisallif mta9allim borrower learned

to borrow to learn

B.

ta9awwar to get injured S mtafaffi mtifabbil

mtaqawwir injured

for

defective

verbs:

tisalla
6.

to pass time tayadda to have lunch

Class VI: mtifa:bil A. + mtafa:bil

mtisalli

time-passer mtayaddi somebody who had lunch

for mti'wi mtaqafi strong verbs:

ti'wa
ta9~fa

to get well
to get fat
+

getting
fat

well verbs:

B.

mtifabi

mtafabi

for

defective

tibara to match each other tahaca to talk to each other

7. Class
A.

mtibari somebody who matches mtahaci talking to each other

strong verbs: spilled

VII:
minfibil inticar + minfabil to be spilled for mintieir

inharag B. minfibi

to burn
+

minharidz for defective

burnt verbs:

minfabi

intala
C.

to get full inhaca to be told

ingass to get cut

mintili

full

minhaci told

minfabb: mingass cut

Forms

of

Najdi

Arabic

87

8.

ill minall incall to get ill Class VIII: for strong miftibil verbs: A. mixtirig ixtaral to get excited irtacad to shake mirticid

excited
shaken

B.

miftibi
istaha

for defective

verbs:
mistihi migtihi verbs: shy wanting

to feel shy iAtaha to want for to need to relax weak

C.

mift:1 ihtaj irtah

needy mirtah relaxed mihtamm worried mihtadd having to

mihttj

D.

miftabb:
ihtamm to get worried ihtadd to have to

istadd to do without
9. Class X: A. mistafbil istamal for to use strong

mistadd doing without

verbs: mistacmil user

istarxas B.

to take a permission verbs:

mistarxis

permission-taker

for defective mistafbi istar6a to seek satisfaction

istahda to advise

mistarbi satisfaction-seeker
mistahdi (mistahdi) advisor

C.

miftifibb
istababb istaradd

for
to like

doubled

verbs:
mistihibb mistiridd liking recapturing
verbs: painting nonsense

to recapture
for basic and

10.

Quadriliterals:
A. mfablil xarbat reduplicated mxarbit to paint nonsense lines

zalzal taxarbat

to quake itself to get confused

mtizalzil mtaxarbit

quaking confused

1.

PASSIVE PARTICIPLES, 3,2,2, Triliterals mafbl:

6arab to hit sirib to drink maSrib hit mari-b a drink

88 kitab 2. to write

Anthropological makttb written

Linguistics,

Vol.

29,

No.

triliterals): (derived Augmented A. m-forms forms): (non-clustered

kattab to write repeatedly

B. mi-forms istacjal istardab 3. Quadriliterals (forms with two to be quick to seek to satisfy mfablal:

mkattab written repeatedly

consonantal mistacjal mistarda8 clusters): quick satisfied

xarbat to paint nonsense laqwaz to cause troubles

zalzal to quake Adjectives: Positive 1. Adjectives: The following adjectives forms:
A. fibil
+

mxarbat confused mlaqwaz troubled

mzalzal quaked

are

mainly

with

verbal

underlying

fabil:

tiwil

tall

m.s.

nibif

clean m.s.

habib beloved m.s. xabie wicked m.s. B. Weak

tayyib

verbs
+

fayyil:
kind m.s.

tRb

hayyin + hMn easy m.s. 6ayyidz + d'g narrow m.s.

C.

The following
fibil:
giwi strong

adjectives
+ giwih +

have nouns
strength

underlying

them

6aki intelligent sixi D. generous fa:ll:

+

6ika

intelligence generosity dullness

+ saxa
+ yaba

yabi dullZZ Doubled

~arr hot

tarr

heat

marr passing 2. fabla:n form. emotional cates ta9ban tired

xailfn shy
+
+

by + marr to pass from Class Derived states:' to get tired

to get shy

I verbs.

Usually

indi-

ticib
xijil

Forms

of

Najdi

Arabic + ibi9

89

3.

to get full nadmin sorry + nidim to get sorry Nisbah (relative adjectives adjectives). or adjectives. from nouns, derived They -i to the word: fixing

sab9~n full

These are are formed

mainly by suf-

scdi a Saudi masri an Egyptian bahri sea . . .

a proper name Saud scd masir Egypt bahar sea.10

WORKS CITED
Abboud, P. F. 1975. II. Islamiques.
. 1978.

Etudes Arabes et in Najdi Arabic. Verb Suffixation Vol. i., Paris. Langue et Litterature
of the imperfect prefix in Arabic. In Linguis-

The vowel

tics and Literary Studies in Honor of Archibald A. Hill, Mohammad Ali and C. W. Winter, eds. II, Descriptive Polme, Jazayery, E. Linguistics. 1981. Al-Sweel, A. Aziz. cal and phonological The Verbal System of Najdi Arabic, A morphologiof Washington M.A. Thesis. University study. Components of the du Liban. Theory

and Morphological Bakalla, M. H. 1979. The Phonological Arabic Verb. London, Beirut: Longman and Librairie Brame, M. 1970. Arabic Phonology: and General Semitic. Doctoral Implications dissertation,

for Phonological MIT.

Czapkiewicz, A. 1975. The Verb in Modern Arabic Dialects the Development Process Occurring in Them. Warsaw. Erwin, W. M. 1962. A Short Reference Grammar of Iraqi D. C.: Georgetown University Press. Ingham, B. 1982. North East Arabian Dialects. Paul International. Johnstone, T. M. Vol. Series,
. 1967b.

as an Exponent of Washington, Kegan

Arabic.

London and Boston: Studies. Press.

spoken

Eastern Arabian Dialect 1967a. 17. London: Oxford University

Aspects of syllabification

London Oriental

in the

Arabic

of Anizah.

Bulletin

of the School

of Oriental

and African

Studies

30.

Studies in Lehn, W. 1967. Vowel Contrasts of Najdi Arabic. Linguistics Memory of Richard Salade Harell, Graham Stuart, ed. Georgetown University Press, 123-31.

90

Anthropological

Linguistics,

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29,

No.

Qafisheh, H. A. 1977. A Short Reference of Arizona Press. The University Thorton, F. D. Press. 1919. Elementary Arabic.

Grammar of Gulf Arabic.

Tucson:

A Grammar. Cambridge University from

[Translated Wright, W. 1933. A Grammar of the Arabic Language. Press 1964.] Caspari's German. Cambridge University

NOTES
*. The IPA conventional The following paper. symbols This symbol stands [9]: This symbol stands [h]: phonetic symbols will be used throughout are of special interest: for the voiced pharyngeal. for thevoiceless counterpart of [9] the

1. The terms "high", "mixed", and "low" refer to the nature of the Thus the "high" pattern contains high vocalic segments of the pattern. the mixed contains a high, then a low vowel, vowels in its two syllables; while the low contains two low vowels.
2. Notice the forms tal -+ til, not t51, and mas + miis, not mis.

3. either 4. inssy:l. 5. ixtlaf. 6.

ple

As usual a clustered pattern has two nominal forms, and qawwar either taqwir or tqawir. or tcallm ta9lim The pattern The pattern The pattern infbdl prevails in the clustered

e.g.,

callam
+

forms such as insayal patterns, ixtalaf

iftib5l ?iftba:l

is preferred is obtained

in the clustered

in the case of the clustered

exam-

?ihtamm + ?ihtma:m.

7. 8. 9. tional 10. ferences

This is a borrowed English This differs from ylbih

word (reverse). from ?iytRab to slander. between this form and the excep-

slander, relation verbs.

There is an interesting fibil class of triliteral The phonological in stress.

change in the last

two examples is due to the dif-