المستخلص: |
In this paper I show the invalidity of the arguments set by the advocates of subgrouping Classical Arabic with Southeast Semitic. Specifically, I argue that the development of the L-stem has taken place independently in Classical Arabic and other South Semitic languages. Building on the theory of Prosodic Circumscription and Sturtevant’s Paradox I contend that the development of the internal (broken) plural paradigms in Southeast Semitic and in Classical Arabic took place independently. I maintain that the development of internal plural in South Semitic took place via a process of borrowing over a number of historical stages after these languages underwent regular sound changes separating them from other Semitic languages. The analysis entertained in this paper yields the desired consequence of determining the affiliation of Classical Arabic and, hence, solves what seems, otherwise, to be an impenetrable comparative dilemma.
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