Ta-Marbuta as grammatical and semantic indicator: Harf or affix?

Abstract

The article discusses the functional significance of such a graphic embodiment of the letter ta as ta-marbuta (ta-linked), which is not available in the Arabic alphabet. Traditionally included in Arabic studies in the phonetics-graphic section as a phenomenon specific to writing and reading rules, as well as a narrow grammar paragraph related to the female category indicator, ta-marbuta, as follows from the semantic comparison of the Arabic words selected by us, which in their own way morphological composition differ only in the presence of this affix, performs a more complex role in the language. The question is raised about the correctness of the name of ta-marbuta by letter (harf) or affix, the characteristics of which are inherent in it. The wide range of uses of ta-marbuta as a feminine affix, uniqueness affinity, substantiation, etc., as well as open and systematized semantic distinguishing shades of words with the same basis with ta-marbuta and without it, allow us to say that this affix has to be established as multifunctional and operates at various levels of the language - from morphology to semantics. Based on an analysis of the vast material, conclusions are drawn about the high productivity of ta-marbuta as an inflectional and word-formation formant, which allows transmitting a number of qualifying values, and not just a female affix. The lists of words that participate in word formation along with this affix are clarified - masdars of certain types of the verb, collective names, relative adjectives, less often high-quality adjectives, etc. All this ultimately speaks of the Arabic as a modern and developed language that can convey the most subtle semantic nuances, as well as having great potential for the formation of new lexical units.