The Sonority Sequencing Principle in Qassimi Arabic: An Optimality Theoretical Framework

Abstract

The syllable structures in some languages are governed by the Sonority Sequencing Principle (SSP), which states that the syllable center constitutes the most sonorous sound and decreases toward both margins (Clements, 1990). In light of this, the current paper investigates how conformity to the SSP is achieved in Qassimi Arabic (QA), which is a dialect spoken in the central region of Saudi Arabia, particularly in the Al-Qassim region. The relationship between QA consonant clusters (CCs) and their conformity to the SSP were analyzed through optimality theory (OT). The results revealed that the interaction of constraints ONSET, SSP, *i] σ, COMPLEX, MAX-IO, and DEP-IO are responsible for the arrangement and combination of segments in structuring the QA syllables. The syllable structure is absolutely governed by the SSP such that when the coda cluster complies with the SSP, the application of vowel epenthesis in coda clusters is blocked, whereas when an SSP violation occurs, a vowel (either [ɪ], [a], or [u]) is consistently epenthesized and enforced in the cluster to satisfy the SSP.