The Description of the Arabic Language Sound Structure in the Arabic Grammar Tradition and in the Western Linguistics: a Comparative Analysis

This paper describes views of representatives of traditional Arabic linguistics and modern linguistics on the Arabic language sound system. We used a phonetic classification of Sibawayh, from his treatise named “Al-Kitab” (also referred to as “The Book of Sibawayh”). Als the following treatises were used: “Al-Muqtadab” by al-Mubarrid, “Al-Jumal” by az-Zajjaji and Avicenna`s “Phonetic Treatise”. The modern sound classification, which we researched, is represented in the book “Arabic Phonology. An Acoustical and Physiological Investigation” written by Salman H. al-Ani. The hypothesis of this research is as follows: the sound system of the language is an objective physical phenomenon. Thus, we suppose that the description of the Arabic language sounds should not have significant differences both within the framework of the Arabic linguistic tradition itself, and when comparing this description to the classification of Western linguistics. The hypothesis was confirmed: both medieval Arabic grammarians (represented by Sibawayh, al-Mubarrid, al-Zajjadji and Avicenna) and modern linguists (represented by Salman H. al-Ani) approach the classification of the Arabic language sounds in similar ways. Classifications are based on the same criteria: the way and the place of sound articulation.