Re: [MTLR] RE: The Vocalic Theory (PIE *al-)

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "fournet.arnaud" <fournet.arnaud@...>
wrote:

> From: "Richard Wordingham" <richard.wordingham@...>

> >Would you argue the Classical Arabic lacked phonemes /i:/ and /u:/
> >because they do not occur before consonant clusters, thus giving the
> >untidy vowel phoneme set /a/, /a:/, /i/ and /u/?

> I don't understand your objection.
> It seems to me that (classical) Arabic never admits a sequence
> like v + C + C when the vowel is long, be it a: u: or i:
> in other words
> baHr is possible ba:Hr is not.

A semiregular source is Form III of geminate verbs - e.g. _'aajja_ and
_aajaja_ 'he argued'. (I may have the initial consonsnt wrong.)
There also appears to be _`a:dda_ 'he came back'.

Richard.