Acoustic analysis of Modern Standard Arabic vowels by Jordanian speakers

Abstract

In this study the Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) vowels produced by ten Jordanian males are acoustically analyzed and described. In line with previous studies on MSA produced by speakers from different parts of the Arab world, this study shows that the inventory of MSA vowels consists of six monophthongs and two diphthongs. Moreover, the long monophthongs of MSA are found to be more than double the duration of their short counterparts. In comparison with studies on MSA vowels produced by Palestinian, Saudi, Sudanese and Egyptian speakers, the MSA monophthongs produced by the Jordanian speakers here are found to be significantly shorter than those in the latter studies. Moreover, this study proposes the use of different IPA symbols for the MSA vowels which have been for long inaccurately transcribed as /a:, i:, u:, a, i, u, aj, aw/. This is justified by the finding that long and short MSA monophthongs are significantly different not only in duration but also in vowel quality. This latter finding has been corroborated by many previous studies on MSA vowels.