Linguistic substitution in the dialect of the Sharsh region: an analytical phonetic study

Abstract

This research addresses the phenomenon of phonetic substitution (ibdāl ṣawti) in the Sharsh dialect, located within the Qurna District in Iraq, as a manifestation of phonological change in the Arabic language. The study examines the concept of substitution, both linguistically and terminologically, distinguishing between standard substitution related to morphological rules and phonetic substitution, which arises from auditory patterns and the natural evolution of pronunciation.
The research focuses on applications of phonetic substitution in the Sharsh dialect, documenting several instances where letters such as (hamza, thā’, dhāl, jīm, sīn, qāf, kāf, lām, etc.) are replaced with other sounds due to phonetic factors, such as articulation proximity or similarity in phonetic features. The study employs a descriptive-analytical approach to observe and analyze this phenomenon.
The study concludes that the Sharsh dialect exhibits distinctive phonological characteristics that overlap with other Arabic dialects, indicating that phonetic substitution is a widespread phenomenon driven by the need for ease and simplification in pronunciation. It plays a significant role in the emergence of dialects and their divergence from Classical Arabic.