Metathesis in Syrian Arabic: Types and Conditioning Factors

This study explores metathesis in Syrian Arabic (SyA). The data reveal two types of metatheses. Type-I is phonologically conditioned, involving at least one the four root consonants, ʒ, f, ʕ and ћ with fricatives (z, s), liquids (l, r) or gutturals (q/ʔ) specific positions within regardless word derivation. Type-II morpho-phonologically Standard reflexive Pattern VIII, (ʔi)ftaʕal, that resulted historically from generalized reflexive-t C1 original Proto-Aramaic (ʔi)tfaʕal. It occurs SyA as a reversed VIII doubling C2, tfaʕʕal. reverse when consonant adjacent to fricative (s), pharyngeals (ʕ, ħ) r). While results strictly ranking Optimality Theoretic LINEARITY constraint lower than LEFT-ANCHOR(t), geminating C2 explained terms prosodic weight syllable maintain stress assignment input verb grammaticality and/or semantic correspondence input. Thus, constraints IDENT(Stress), WEIGHT-BY-POSITION must dominate INTEGRITY *CODA allow gemination contributes moriac penultimate receive priority over final bimoriac heavy syllables.