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The Role of the b-prefix in Gulf Arabic Dialects as a Marker of Future, Intent and/or Irrealis

Persson, Maria LU orcid (2008) In Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 8. p.26-52
Abstract
This paper presents arguments for a re-analysis of the b-prefix in Gulf

Arabic dialects. Similar to several other dialects, Gulf Arabic possesses a b-prefix

that is inserted before the p-stem (prefix form) of the verb. However,

the Gulf Arabic b-prefix differs substantially from the one encountered in

other Arabic dialects. According to most previous studies, the Gulf Arabic

b-prefix encodes future tense or intentive mood or a combination of these.

Based on a thorough survey of the use of this particle in modern speech, I

suggest that it is used in Gulf Arabic today as a generalized marker of the

irrealis mood rather than being limited to function as a... (More)
This paper presents arguments for a re-analysis of the b-prefix in Gulf

Arabic dialects. Similar to several other dialects, Gulf Arabic possesses a b-prefix

that is inserted before the p-stem (prefix form) of the verb. However,

the Gulf Arabic b-prefix differs substantially from the one encountered in

other Arabic dialects. According to most previous studies, the Gulf Arabic

b-prefix encodes future tense or intentive mood or a combination of these.

Based on a thorough survey of the use of this particle in modern speech, I

suggest that it is used in Gulf Arabic today as a generalized marker of the

irrealis mood rather than being limited to function as a future/intentive

marker. Futurity is one - but not the only or necessarily the most important

one - of its connotations. Meanwhile, another marker, rāḥ, emerges as an

obvious future marker in some parts of the dialectal area. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Arabic, Gulf Arabic, Dialect, Tense, Mood, Aspect, Syntax, Semantics, Future, Irrealis, b-prefix
in
Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies
volume
8
pages
26 - 52
publisher
University of Oslo
ISSN
0806-198X
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9885de75-0b1a-41bd-b079-9ea678a207ac (old id 1362002)
alternative location
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/jais/volume/docs/vol8/v8_4_Persson_26_52.pdf
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 07:43:49
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:48:47
@article{9885de75-0b1a-41bd-b079-9ea678a207ac,
  abstract     = {{This paper presents arguments for a re-analysis of the b-prefix in Gulf<br/><br>
Arabic dialects. Similar to several other dialects, Gulf Arabic possesses a b-prefix<br/><br>
that is inserted before the p-stem (prefix form) of the verb. However,<br/><br>
the Gulf Arabic b-prefix differs substantially from the one encountered in<br/><br>
other Arabic dialects. According to most previous studies, the Gulf Arabic<br/><br>
b-prefix encodes future tense or intentive mood or a combination of these.<br/><br>
Based on a thorough survey of the use of this particle in modern speech, I<br/><br>
suggest that it is used in Gulf Arabic today as a generalized marker of the<br/><br>
irrealis mood rather than being limited to function as a future/intentive<br/><br>
marker. Futurity is one - but not the only or necessarily the most important<br/><br>
one - of its connotations. Meanwhile, another marker, rāḥ, emerges as an<br/><br>
obvious future marker in some parts of the dialectal area.}},
  author       = {{Persson, Maria}},
  issn         = {{0806-198X}},
  keywords     = {{Arabic; Gulf Arabic; Dialect; Tense; Mood; Aspect; Syntax; Semantics; Future; Irrealis; b-prefix}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{26--52}},
  publisher    = {{University of Oslo}},
  series       = {{Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies}},
  title        = {{The Role of the b-prefix in Gulf Arabic Dialects as a Marker of Future, Intent and/or Irrealis}},
  url          = {{http://www.lancs.ac.uk/jais/volume/docs/vol8/v8_4_Persson_26_52.pdf}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}