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Mark Shockley

@shjsat.bsky.social

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Arabic | Books | Bible | Running | Local Color 📍Sharjah 🇦🇪 ✍️ Dissertation on Emirati dialects

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Reposted by Mark Shockley

Adam Bremer-McCollum @acbm.bsky.social · 10h

Listen to @lcbmphd.bsky.social and me chat about my book, The Pearlsong!

Adam Bremer-McCollum, "The Pearlsong" (Harvard UP, 2025) - New Books Network

newbooksnetwork.com

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 12h

One of the most famousest of Arabic words, and I have yet to meet anyone in Arabia that prefers it. They use ناقة and إبل or بل.

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 12h

Echo words do have various connotations though. We're going for more like hodge podge or helter skelter, shm- reduplication has a specific non-serious meaning, doesn't it? Either way, fun to try.

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 13h

There is a new book coming about Aleppo Dom. It looks like they released a draft version?

domari.org/wp-content/u...

Reposted by Mark Shockley

Darin Flynn @phono-logical.bsky.social · 15h

Incidentally, does anyone know of any *reverse* cases where emphatic consonants developed from earlier vowels, most likely due to contact with languages with emphatics? I’m revisiting my “Redeployment in language contact: the case of phonological emphasis” doi.org/10.3389/flan...

Darin Flynn @phono-logical.bsky.social · 15h

Juho Pystynen points out that “emphatic velars” are expensive ways to avoid admitting new vowel contrasts. I imagine early Maltese speakers would agree!

Darin Flynn @phono-logical.bsky.social · 2d

Open access: “A grammar of Jordanian Arabic” by Bruno Herin and Enam Al-Wer (Oct. ’25) www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.116...

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 21h

DM or email me if you want the full version (PDF or XLS), with 400+ examples from Wright's grammar

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 23h

I got dissatisfied with Versteegh's table on Arabic verbs, so I made a much worse table using Wright's Grammar

I-a faʕala tr. kataba to write
I-a faʕala intr. ǧalasa to sit
I-i faʕila usually intr. fariḥa to be glad
I-u faʕula intr., permanent qualities kabura to be large
II faʕʕala intensive qatala to kill > qattala to massacre
II faʕʕala intensive (temporally extensive, iterative) ǧāla to go round > ǧawwala to go round much or often
II faʕʕala intensive (numerically extensive) māta to die > mawwata l-mālu the cattle died off rapidly or in great numbers
II faʕʕala causative (intr. I > tr. II) fariḥa to be glad > farraḥa to gladden
II faʕʕala causative (tr. I > ditr. II) ḥamala to carry > ḥammala to make carry
II faʕʕala estimative kaḏaba to lie > kaḏḏaba to think or call one a liar
II faʕʕala denominal ḫayyama to pitch a tent (ḫaymatun), to dwell in a place
II faʕʕala performing a speech act sallama ʕalayhi he said to him salām ʕalayka (peace be upon thee)
II faʕʕala movement towards a place šarraqa to go to the east (al-šarqu)
III fāʕala tr. I > III is an attempt (often involving reciprocity) qatalahu he killed him > qātalahu he (tried to kill him or) fought with him
III fāʕala the IO of I is the DO of III (reciprocity is implied) kataba ʔilà l-maliki he wrote (a letter) to the king > kātaba l-malika he wrote
III fāʕala the IO of IV is the DO of III (reciprocity is implied) to the king, corresponded with him
ʔarsala ʔilà l-sulṭāni he sent (a message) to the sultan > rāsala s-sulṭāna he
sent (a message) to the sultan
III fāʕala stative I > III makes use of that state ḥasana to be good or kind > ḥāsanahu he treated him kindly
III fāʕala denominal (effort and reciprocity are implied) ʕāfiyatun robust health > ʕāfāka llāhu may God keep thee safe and well
III fāʕala III = IV (a few verbs) dāḫala = ʔadḫala he brought him in

IV ʔafʕala causative (intr. I > tr. IV) ǧalasa to sit down > ʔaǧlasa to bid one sit down
IV ʔafʕala causative (tr. I > ditr. IV) ʔakala l-ḫubza he ate bread > ʔākalahu l-ḫubza he gave him bread to eat
IV ʔafʕala causative II ≠ causative IV ʕalima to know > ʕallama to teach > ʔaʕlama to inform one of a thing
IV ʔafʕala causative II = causative IV naǧā to escape > naǧǧà to let go > ʔanǧà to let go
IV ʔafʕala estimative (like Form II) ʔaǧnabahu he thought him, or found him to be, cowardly
IV ʔafʕala denominal (intr.) ʔaṯmara to bear fruit (ṯamarun)
IV ʔafʕala denominal, indicating movement ʔaymana to go to Yemen
IV ʔafʕala entering a time period ʔaṣbaḥa to enter upon the time of morning (aṣ-ṣabāḥu)
IV ʔafʕala obtaining or having something ʔaǧmala to have many camels
IV ʔafʕala becoming a certain state or condition ʔaqfara to become desert
IV ʔafʕala removing something (a few verbs) ʔaḫfara to break one’s compact with a person
IV hafʕala a rare variant is hafʕala (a few verbs) harāda ~ ʔarāda to wish
IV safʕala a rare variant is safʕala (?) (a few verbs) salqà ~ ʔalqà to throw down flat on the back
V tafaʕʕala reflexive of II takassara to be broken in pieces
V tafaʕʕala intensive (V = VIII) tafarraqa n-nāsu = iftaraqa n-nāsu the people dispersed
V tafaʕʕala reflexive (with DO or IO) tabaṣṣara to look at long or repeatedly, to examine or study
V tafaʕʕala V = II (a few verbs) taqawwasa = qawwasa
V tafaʕʕala causative (whether caused by the subject or another) ʕalima to know > ʕallama to teach > taʕallama to become learned, to learn
V itfaʕʕala variant form of tafaʕʕala (no examples)
VI tafāʕala reflexive of III (often translated as passive) bāʕadtuhu I kept him aloof > tabāʕad he kept (or staid) aloof
VI tafāʕala reciprocity is necessary in Form VI qātalahu he fought with him > taqātalā the two fought with one another
VI tafāʕala reflexive, used of God (a few optative verbs) tabāraka llāhu God has made Himself blessed
VI tafāʕala reflexive, used of humans (a few verbs) t…

VI tafāʕala VI may be iterative (implying pains) tasāqaṭa to fall piece by piece
VI itfāʕala variant form of tafāʕala (no examples)
VII infaʕala middle or reflexive of I inkasara to break (intrans.), to be broken
VII infaʕala sometimes passivity is implied inhazama to let oneself be put to flight, to flee
VII infaʕala reflexive of IV (sometimes) ʔaġlaqa to bolt > inġalaqa to be bolted
VIII iftaʕala the reflex object may be the DO ... faraqa to divide > iftaraqa to go asunder, to part
VIII iftaʕala … or the IO kasaba = iktasaba to earn one’s living
VIII iftaʕala VIII is sometimes reciprocal (like VI) iqtatala n-nāsu = taqātala n-nāsu the people fought with one another
VIII iftaʕala passive (sometimes, if the verb has no VII) intaṣara to be helped (by God), to be victorious
VIII iftaʕala I ≈ VIII (some verbs) ḫaṭifa ≈ iḫtaṭafa to snatch away, to carry off by force
IX ifʕalla colours and defects (intensive) iṣfarra to be yellow
IX ifʕalala final glides iḥwawà to be blackish brown or blackish green
X istafʕala reflexive or middle of IV ʔaslama to give up, deliver over > istaslama to give oneself up
X istafʕala estimative (the state meant by I) istaṯqala to find it heavy, oppressive, or troublesome, to think one a bore
X istafʕala seeking (the action meant by I) ġafara to pardon > istaġfara to ask pardon
X istafʕala reflexive istaqāma to stand upright, lit. to hold oneself upright
X istafʕala denominal (uniting causative and reflexive meanings) istaḫlafa to appoint one as deputy, successor, or caliph (ḫalīfatun)
XI ifʕālla colours and defects (intensive) iṣfārra to be yellow
XI ifʕālala if the third radical is /w/ or /y/ it takes this form iḥwāwà to be blackish brown or blackish green
XII ifʕawʕala XII = I ḥalika = iḥlawlaka to be jet black
XII ifʕawʕala XII = IX iḫḍarra = iḫḍawḍara to become blackish brown or blackish green
XIII ifʕawwala a rare form, shown by example only iḫrawwaṭa to be long or last long, to go quickly
XIV ifʕanlala a rare form, shown by example only …

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 22h

Oh sorry. I don't think Form III is productive! Causative II is productive and reflexive/intr. V is productive, and passive VII is productive.

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 22h

Thanks, this is literally just Wright's Grammar, but I will write these down to improve it.

Wright says that in his 1st ed. he had differentiated IX and XI, and then by the 3rd ed. he was convinced there was no difference.

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 22h

Forms IV and IX are the only ones that are like, virtually non-existent. But I have examples of IX in people talking about their work.

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 22h

My guess from common to uncommon would be
II
I
V
VII, VIII, X, III
VI
IV
IX

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 22h

hmm. A lot of Form III verbs are around, يبارك، يسافر، يعافي ... I suppose some of them are a tad formal but I don't think Form III differs that much from classical to modern.

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 22h

I know. That's how he explains سقلب which is the only one I had heard of, we call some part of the palm tree a سقلوب.

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 22h

It would be great to have a detailed overview of which of these uses have dropped off completely in modern dialects, which ones are still around, and some of the major innovations like tCēCaC and II replacing IV.

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 22h

He documents so many uses for Form IV. I kept going "huh, I guess we can say it that way in Fuṣḥā."

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 22h

It's heavily abridged from Wright's own words. There are a couple of places where he doesn't explain or gloss examples, so I filled in those gaps.

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 23h

I got dissatisfied with Versteegh's table on Arabic verbs, so I made a much worse table using Wright's Grammar

I-a faʕala tr. kataba to write
I-a faʕala intr. ǧalasa to sit
I-i faʕila usually intr. fariḥa to be glad
I-u faʕula intr., permanent qualities kabura to be large
II faʕʕala intensive qatala to kill > qattala to massacre
II faʕʕala intensive (temporally extensive, iterative) ǧāla to go round > ǧawwala to go round much or often
II faʕʕala intensive (numerically extensive) māta to die > mawwata l-mālu the cattle died off rapidly or in great numbers
II faʕʕala causative (intr. I > tr. II) fariḥa to be glad > farraḥa to gladden
II faʕʕala causative (tr. I > ditr. II) ḥamala to carry > ḥammala to make carry
II faʕʕala estimative kaḏaba to lie > kaḏḏaba to think or call one a liar
II faʕʕala denominal ḫayyama to pitch a tent (ḫaymatun), to dwell in a place
II faʕʕala performing a speech act sallama ʕalayhi he said to him salām ʕalayka (peace be upon thee)
II faʕʕala movement towards a place šarraqa to go to the east (al-šarqu)
III fāʕala tr. I > III is an attempt (often involving reciprocity) qatalahu he killed him > qātalahu he (tried to kill him or) fought with him
III fāʕala the IO of I is the DO of III (reciprocity is implied) kataba ʔilà l-maliki he wrote (a letter) to the king > kātaba l-malika he wrote
III fāʕala the IO of IV is the DO of III (reciprocity is implied) to the king, corresponded with him
ʔarsala ʔilà l-sulṭāni he sent (a message) to the sultan > rāsala s-sulṭāna he
sent (a message) to the sultan
III fāʕala stative I > III makes use of that state ḥasana to be good or kind > ḥāsanahu he treated him kindly
III fāʕala denominal (effort and reciprocity are implied) ʕāfiyatun robust health > ʕāfāka llāhu may God keep thee safe and well
III fāʕala III = IV (a few verbs) dāḫala = ʔadḫala he brought him in

IV ʔafʕala causative (intr. I > tr. IV) ǧalasa to sit down > ʔaǧlasa to bid one sit down
IV ʔafʕala causative (tr. I > ditr. IV) ʔakala l-ḫubza he ate bread > ʔākalahu l-ḫubza he gave him bread to eat
IV ʔafʕala causative II ≠ causative IV ʕalima to know > ʕallama to teach > ʔaʕlama to inform one of a thing
IV ʔafʕala causative II = causative IV naǧā to escape > naǧǧà to let go > ʔanǧà to let go
IV ʔafʕala estimative (like Form II) ʔaǧnabahu he thought him, or found him to be, cowardly
IV ʔafʕala denominal (intr.) ʔaṯmara to bear fruit (ṯamarun)
IV ʔafʕala denominal, indicating movement ʔaymana to go to Yemen
IV ʔafʕala entering a time period ʔaṣbaḥa to enter upon the time of morning (aṣ-ṣabāḥu)
IV ʔafʕala obtaining or having something ʔaǧmala to have many camels
IV ʔafʕala becoming a certain state or condition ʔaqfara to become desert
IV ʔafʕala removing something (a few verbs) ʔaḫfara to break one’s compact with a person
IV hafʕala a rare variant is hafʕala (a few verbs) harāda ~ ʔarāda to wish
IV safʕala a rare variant is safʕala (?) (a few verbs) salqà ~ ʔalqà to throw down flat on the back
V tafaʕʕala reflexive of II takassara to be broken in pieces
V tafaʕʕala intensive (V = VIII) tafarraqa n-nāsu = iftaraqa n-nāsu the people dispersed
V tafaʕʕala reflexive (with DO or IO) tabaṣṣara to look at long or repeatedly, to examine or study
V tafaʕʕala V = II (a few verbs) taqawwasa = qawwasa
V tafaʕʕala causative (whether caused by the subject or another) ʕalima to know > ʕallama to teach > taʕallama to become learned, to learn
V itfaʕʕala variant form of tafaʕʕala (no examples)
VI tafāʕala reflexive of III (often translated as passive) bāʕadtuhu I kept him aloof > tabāʕad he kept (or staid) aloof
VI tafāʕala reciprocity is necessary in Form VI qātalahu he fought with him > taqātalā the two fought with one another
VI tafāʕala reflexive, used of God (a few optative verbs) tabāraka llāhu God has made Himself blessed
VI tafāʕala reflexive, used of humans (a few verbs) t…

VI tafāʕala VI may be iterative (implying pains) tasāqaṭa to fall piece by piece
VI itfāʕala variant form of tafāʕala (no examples)
VII infaʕala middle or reflexive of I inkasara to break (intrans.), to be broken
VII infaʕala sometimes passivity is implied inhazama to let oneself be put to flight, to flee
VII infaʕala reflexive of IV (sometimes) ʔaġlaqa to bolt > inġalaqa to be bolted
VIII iftaʕala the reflex object may be the DO ... faraqa to divide > iftaraqa to go asunder, to part
VIII iftaʕala … or the IO kasaba = iktasaba to earn one’s living
VIII iftaʕala VIII is sometimes reciprocal (like VI) iqtatala n-nāsu = taqātala n-nāsu the people fought with one another
VIII iftaʕala passive (sometimes, if the verb has no VII) intaṣara to be helped (by God), to be victorious
VIII iftaʕala I ≈ VIII (some verbs) ḫaṭifa ≈ iḫtaṭafa to snatch away, to carry off by force
IX ifʕalla colours and defects (intensive) iṣfarra to be yellow
IX ifʕalala final glides iḥwawà to be blackish brown or blackish green
X istafʕala reflexive or middle of IV ʔaslama to give up, deliver over > istaslama to give oneself up
X istafʕala estimative (the state meant by I) istaṯqala to find it heavy, oppressive, or troublesome, to think one a bore
X istafʕala seeking (the action meant by I) ġafara to pardon > istaġfara to ask pardon
X istafʕala reflexive istaqāma to stand upright, lit. to hold oneself upright
X istafʕala denominal (uniting causative and reflexive meanings) istaḫlafa to appoint one as deputy, successor, or caliph (ḫalīfatun)
XI ifʕālla colours and defects (intensive) iṣfārra to be yellow
XI ifʕālala if the third radical is /w/ or /y/ it takes this form iḥwāwà to be blackish brown or blackish green
XII ifʕawʕala XII = I ḥalika = iḥlawlaka to be jet black
XII ifʕawʕala XII = IX iḫḍarra = iḫḍawḍara to become blackish brown or blackish green
XIII ifʕawwala a rare form, shown by example only iḫrawwaṭa to be long or last long, to go quickly
XIV ifʕanlala a rare form, shown by example only …

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 23h

Is this Robert Alter's alter ego, Bobby Change?

Hava Bas-Idis @havabasidis.bsky.social · 23h

I guess "waste shwaste" would've been a little too on the nose...

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 23h

Oh yes "void" is terribly overwrought

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 23h

At home with sick kid, Day 3.5 this week.

He expectorates; I dissertate. 😷

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 23h

He gets some mileage out of that one and it is very good—it bugs me just a little that I've never heard of a "welter" but I think that is in fact part of his point.

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 23h

IIRC one or more of these is directly influenced by Gap Theory creationism?

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 1d

Here you go

a very cute baby
his onesie says Cuddle-a-saurus which I suspect is not a real dinosaur

baby is now handing you a funny colored handkerchief. You must take it

Reposted by Mark Shockley

Ebil @ebil.bsky.social · 1d

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 1d

eh just throw it away and buy a new one

Mark Shockley @shjsat.bsky.social · 1d

🥲