Lesson (4): Movements in Arabic: Short Vowels, Anti-vowels and Signs
Vowels in Arabic look like dashes and symbols above or below the Arabic Letters to pronounce Arabic correctly; however, later when one is used to the Language such vowels, surprisingly enough, are not used that much; yet it is helpful for elementary/ intermediate to avoid any confusions in Correct Arabic Pronunciation. For example, consider the verb /shariba/ شرب (To Drink) in Arabic is same as /shrb/ but we have added those unique signs (vowels) to our Reader/ Learner for simplification - a bridge that leads to correct pronunciation. However, note that vowels are not written in normal Arabic writing; they are written sometimes in Arabic Poetry; however, usually in the Holy Quran for correct pronunciation of the Holy Book.
Our reader/ learner must know that such specific combinations of Arabic Letters and vowels results in completely different sounds. Further, the presence of any of those signs on the Arabic letter gives such word different grammatical functions.
Consider the following Chart to fully grasp the Arabic Signs of Movement /̛āl-harakāt/ الحَرَكَات for simplification:
A- Short Vowels
| Short Vowel Sign | ُ | َ | ِ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short Vowel Arabic Name Transliterated |
/ḍam-ma/ | /fatha/ | /kasra/ |
| Short Vowel Arabic Name |
ضَمة | فَتحة | كَسرة |
| Short Vowel Sign English Equivalent (Vowel Transliteration) |
/u/ | /a/ | /i/ |
| Usage | Regularity /̛ār-rafع/ الرَفع |
Openness /̛ān-nasb/ النَصب |
Reduction /̛āk-kasr/ الكَسر |
| Description | - A little lopped symbol like a small wāw always placed over the Arabic Letter. - Any word in Arabic in isolation shall end in the /u/ vowel as this ending is the regular one. - Used to indicate regularity when placed over the last letter of a word. |
- A short diagonal strike over the Arabic Letter. - It is an open vowel that is used in the situation of openness when placed over the last letter of a word. |
- A short diagonal strike under the Arabic Letter. - It is a closed vowel that is similar to the reduction of lips witnessed in other foreign Languages. - Used in the situation of reduction when placed over the last letter of a word. |
| Bilingual Pronunciation Example | Consider for example if we put a /ḍam-ma/ over the letter dāl دُ it will be pronounced /du/. | Consider for example if we put a /fatha / over the letter dāl دَ it will be pronounced /da/. | Consider for example if we put a /kasra/ over the letter dāl دِ it will be pronounced /di/. |
B- Anti-vowels (Real and Unreal Quiescence)
| Anti-Vowel Sign | ْ |
|---|---|
| Anti-Vowel English Name | Real Quiescence |
| Anti-Vowel Arabic Name Transliterated | /Sukun/ |
| Short Vowel Arabic Name | سُكُون |
| Usage | Elision and/or cutting /̛āg-gazm/ الجزم |
| Description | - It is the action of cutting or elision. - Very silent at the end of the verb. - Always written above the letter. - Arabic word never begins with a Quiescence |
| Bilingual Pronunciation Example | i.e. No vowel like for example the sound of the English Letter /N/ |
Do you know that: 1- All Arabic Alphabets are consonants yet three of them are exceptionally referred to as long vowels; yet Dahdah termed them "Defective letters" as they are letters and not vowels as they are called in Arabic /huruf/ /̛āl-عilah/ حُرُوف العِلة: ālif, wāw and yā̛.
| The Extension Sign | ~ or آ |
|---|---|
| Extension Sign English Name | Unreal Quiescence - Extension Sign |
| Doubling Sign Arabic Name Transliterated | /̛āl-mad/ or /̛ālif/ /̛āl-mad/ |
| Doubling Sign English Transliteration Sign | ã |
| Extension Sign Arabic Name | المَد |
| Usage | Used in extending the sound of an Arabic Letter |
| Description |
- Used in extending the sound of the Arabic Letter. - Mostly related to the letter ālif as it is written over the letter it. - It is a kind of extending the ālif sound.< |
| Example | - Consider the Arabic Feminine name Amal آمال /ãmāl/ as an example. |
C- Doubling Arabic Letter Sign
| The Doubling Sign | ّ |
|---|---|
| Doubling Sign English Name | Arabic Letter Doubling Sign |
| Doubling Sign Arabic Name Transliterated | /shad-da/ |
| Doubling Sign Arabic Name | شَدّة |
| Usage | Used in doubling the sound of an Arabic Letter |
| Description | - Doubling just written in Arabic transliteration by doubling the pronounced Arabic Letter in writing for easiness and simplicity; but in Arabic is written by putting the /shad-da/ sign over the Arabic Doubled Letter i.e. doubling is just pronounced and is just written via /shad-da/ sign in Arabic. |
| Bilingual Pronunciation Example | i.e. No vowel like for example the sound of the English Letter /N/ |
D- Doubling of Short Vowel Sign (Nunation) (Modulation) /̛al-tanwin/
| Type of Nunation (Modulation) - تنوين /tanwin/ | Nunation (Modulation) of regularity – تَنوين الضَم /tanwin /̛ad-dam/ - | Nunation (Modulation) of openness – تَنوين الفَتح /tanwin/ /̛̛al-fath/ | Nunation (Modulation) of reduction – تَنوين الكَسر /tanwin/ /̛ak-kasr/ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nunation (Modulation) – تَنوين /tanwin/ sign in Arabic | ٌ | ً | ٍ |
| Nunation (Modulation) – تَنوين /tanwin/ transliterated sign in English | /un/ | /an/ | /in/ |
| Example | For example the word /hub/ for love and is pronounced /hubun/ حُبٌ | For example the word /hub/ for love is pronounced /huban/ حبًا and we write the Nunation (Modulation) of opening before the ālif not on the ālif; - The word /samā̛n/ for sky سَماءً notice there is no ālif as in /huban/ حُبًا - The word /fursatan/ for chance like فُرصَةً and note that we write it over the " tā̛ Marbutah" (ـة) not before it. |
For example the word /hub/ for love is pronounced /hubin/ حُبِ |
Description:
- A special ending in pronunciation.
- Over the top of last final Arabic Letter of a word.
- A special ending in pronunciation.
- Over the top of last final Arabic Letter of a word.
NB 1: After this kind of Nunation (Modulation) ONLY we have to put the letter ālif; except when there is a hamza after the letter ālif then we will not add the ālif Letter.
NB 2: Special note that is not known by many on the Nunation (Modulation) of openness ONLY in case we write it after it the letter ālif; Nunation (Modulation) should be written before the last final letter not on the ālif letter; but in the case of the hamza mentioned above it is written on the hamza not on the preceding letter.
NB 3: If the Nunation (Modulation) is on the feminine indicator ending " tā̛ Marbutah". (ـة) we can't add the letter ālif and we write the Nunation (Modulation) over the " tā̛ Marbutah" (ـة).
- A special ending in pronunciation.
- Below the last final Arabic Letter of a word.
NB 1: It will be regarded by some an error to write the Nunation (Modulation) of reduction below the letter ālif or below the letter hamza; i.e. in this case it is just pronounced but not written; however, this is seen as acceptable in the Holy Quran then it depends on your choice. For us we are with the Language of the Quran and we do not regard it an error as it is just meant for simplification means.