بررسی واجی فرآیندهای تجویدی در قرآن کریم در چارچوب واجشناسی آزمایشگاهی

This article investigates Tajvid phonological patterns, namely Izhar, Idgham, Ighlab and Ikhfa based on laboratory methodology. To this end, a corpus of Quranic verses read by 12 Qari (three native Arabic and 9 Iranian subjects) at two different rates of speech, namely Tahghigh and Tartil, was designed and gathered. The target words in the verses were those in which the coronal nasal consonant /n/ was placed always in word-final position before words starting either with a pharyngeal/glottal consonant /?،h،Ä،X،ð،À/ (Izhar), Yarmalun phonemes, namely /j،r،m،l،w،n/ (Idgham), the labial stop /b/ (Ighlab), or any consonant other than the three groups of consonants mentioned above (Ikhfa). Analyses were conducted on both the frequency and duration of the speech signals. Results suggested that Idgham and Ighlab follow one single phonological process whereby /n/ is assimilated to the place and manner of the following consonant while it retains its [+nasal] phonetic feature. /n/ in Izhar before pharyngeal/glottal consonants is realized as a typical coronal nasal, and in Ikhfa, it is not realized at all and is recognizable only through nasalization of the preceding vowel. Overall, based on the results of the study, we propose a new classification of Tajvid phonological patterns.
 
1. Introduction
This article investigates Tajvid phonological patterns, namely Izhar, Idgham, Ighlab and Ikhfa based on laboratory methodology. The article is designed in several parts. First, we will investigate the phonological foundation of Tajvid. Then, the acoustical correlates of the alveolar nasal /n/ involved in Tajvid phonological patterns are introduced. Third, we will explore the assimilation of /n/ with the place of articulation of the following sounds from a phonetic point of view, and present the relevant literature in this regard. Then, speech data, research variables and instrumentation of the study are explained. Finally, based on the statistical results obtained, we will discuss the phonetic and phonological behavior of the nasal /n/ in Izhar, Idgham, Ighlab and Ikhfa, and also the validity of the definitions assumed for these processes in Tajvid.
 
2. Theoretical Framework
Tajvid is assumed to be the rules that help read the Holy Quran properly. More specifically, Tajivd deals with how each sound is to be pronounced properly from its place of articulation, and how it is pronounced in isolation and in combination with the neighboring sounds (Al-Hashmi, 2001; Habibi, 2010).Izhar, Idgham, Ighlab and Ikhfa are four phonological processes that are considered in Tajvid. In all these processes, /n/ undergoes different phonological changes based on the quality of the following sounds. It undergoes Idgham when it is followed by /j،r،m،l،w،n/; it involves Izhar when it precedes /?،h،Ä،X،ð،À/; it is pronounced as Ighlab when it is followed by /b/  and finally it undergoes Ikhfa when it precedes the rest of the sounds. In this article we investigate Tajvid phonological processes, i.e., Izhar, Idgham, Ighlab and Ikhfa within the framework of laboratory phonology, based on the timing patterns of co-articulation of /n/ with the following sounds.
 
3. Methodology
The research is based on the methodology assumed under laboratory phonology (Beddor, 2007; Browman & Goldstein, 1990; Ladefoged & Maddieson, 1996; Johnson, 2003; Malecot, 1956). The four processes Izhar, Idgham, Ighlab and Ikhfa are investigated in the relevant speech data within laboratory phonology. Izhar is considered to be the basic pattern for comparison with other phonological processes as it involves no or little phonetic changes. Then, Patterns of acoustical changes in the duration and frequency of the nasal /n/ and the following sounds are investigated in Izhar, Idgham, Ighlab and Ikhfa within laboratory phonology.
A corpus of Quranic verses read by 12 Qari (three native Arabic and 9 Iranian subjects) at two different rates of speech, namely Tahghigh and Tartil, was designed and gathered. The target words in the verses were those in which the coronal nasal consonant /n/ was placed always in word-final position before words starting either with a pharyngeal/glottal consonant /?،h،Ä،X،ð،À/ (Izhar), Yarmalun phonemes, namely /j،r،m،l،w،n/ (Idgham), the labial stop /b/ (Ighlab), or any consonant other than the three groups of consonants mentioned above (Ikhfa).
 
4. Results and discussion
Analyses were conducted on both the frequency and duration of the speech signals. Results suggested that Idgham and Ighlab follow one single phonological process whereby /n/ is assimilated to the place and manner of the following consonant while it retains its [+nasal] phonetic feature. /n/ in Izhar before pharyngeal/glottal consonants is realized as a typical coronal nasal, and in Ikhfa, it is not realized at all and is recognizable only through nasalization of the preceding vowel.
 
5. Conclusion 
Overall, the findings of the present research indicate that we need to propose a new classification of Tajvid phonological patterns.
 
Select Bibliography
Al-Hashmi, A. S. 2001. ‘The Phonology of nasal n in the Language of the Holy Qur’an’, MA. A  thesis. Sultan Qaboos University.
Durand, J. & Katamba, F. 1995 ‘Frontiers of phonology: atoms, structures, derivations’, Harlow: Longman.
Fujimura, O. 1962. Analysis of nasal consonants. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 34(12), 1865-1875.
Gow Jr, D. W. 2000. Assimilation, ambiguity, and the feature parsing problem. In ICSLP-2000. vol. 2. pp. 535-538.
Jun, J. 2004. ‘Place assimilation in Phonetically based Phonology, Bruce Hayes. Robert  Kirchner, & Donca Steriade. Eds.’., Cambridge; Cambridge University Press, 58-86.
Ladefoged. P & Maddieson. I. 1996. ‘The Sounds of the Worlds Languages’, Oxford: Blackwell.
Malecot. A. 1956. ‘Acoustic cues for nasal consonants’. An experimental study involving a taps-splicing technique Language, 32(2), 274-284.
Mohanan. K. P. 1993. ‘Fields of attraction in phonology’. In The Last Phonological Rule. Reflections on Constraints and Derivations. John Goldsmith. ed., Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 61-116.
Recasens. D. 1982. ‘Perception of Nasal Consonants with Special Reference to Catalan’. Status Report on Speech Research, 69, 189-226.
Sadeghi, V. 2012. Place assimilation in nasal alveolar /n/ in Persian: A categorical or gradient process? Linguistic Researches, 2, 57-75. [in Persian]