Re: Alif Baa- pronouncing Alif

From: Yusuf B Gursey (ybg_at_theworld.com)
Date: 12/01/04 

Date: 1 Dec 2004 11:35:47 -0800

eazy927@hotmail.com (Homer) wrote in message news:<8f3564da.0411241135.4c741fb6@posting.google.com>...
> I have the book Alif-Baa and it goes through pronunciation for long
> vowel Alif. It says the range of the sound is 'a' bat or 'a' as in
> father. That is consistent with other books. But then in the examples
> it pronounces most of the Alif as 'e' in bed.

at least as to length, that would not be standard arabic.

>
> In the next paragraph after the first drill it shows difference
> between alif (long a) and fatha (short a) and states: alif range, 'a'
> in bad to 'a' in father, fatha range- 'e' in bet to 'u' in but.

that's just about the range tolerated by standard arabic.

>
> I thought fatha sounds like 'a' in cat or 'o' in top. And I thought

the sound "o" in "top" would not be good for fatHa. sometimes
labialization for alif is done, but I would associate that with a
persian accent :)

> Alif was just a longer version like 'a' in cab (but a little longer)
> and or 'a' in calm. (According to other books).

that's just about the range tolerated by standard arabic.

>
> Will someone please clarify this sound. Thank you.

remember that arabic orthography is quite strictly a phonemic affair
based upon the recitation of the classical language. differences that
may vary based on dialect or the environment (i.e. influence of other
consonants or vowels within a word) are not represented, just
differences in meaning found in classical arabic are represnted in
writing. so you are talking about the phonemes, not "sounds".

>
> -Homer