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(٣)
الدرسُ الثالثُ
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Lesson 3
تمـرين -
Questions
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In the next section we will learn some new vocabulary and we shall also learn
the rules relating to the sun and moon letters. The most
important point to understand with this rule is that it governs the spoken
(pronunciation) Arabic and not the written word.
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Arabic has 28 letters. Of these
14 letters are called Solar Leters, and the other 14 are called Lunar letters.
In the articulation (speaking) of the Solar letters, the tip or blade of the
tongue is involved as in t, n, r, s, etc. The tip or blade of the tongue
does not play any part in the articulation of the Lunar Letters as in b, w, m, k
etc.
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When alif-laam <<al>> is
prefixed to a noun beginning with a Solar letter, the <<l>> of <<al>> is
assimilated (joined) to the Solar Letter, e.g. al-shams (the sun) is pronounced
ash-shamsu.
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No change takes place in
writing (اَلْشَّمْسُ).
The assimilation is indicated by the shaddah on the first letter of the noun
after <<al>>.
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No such assimilation takes place with the Lunar
Letters, e.g. al-qamaru (the moon) is pronounced al-qamaru (اَلْقَمَرُ).
Here are some more examples of the assimilation of the <<l>> of <<al>> to the
Solar Letters (don't worry about the meanings of the words yet):
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Note that the <<a>> of <<al>> is pronounced only
when it is not preceded by another word. If it is preceded by a word it is
dropped in pronunciation, though it remains in writing, e.g. wal-baitu.
Here the <<a>> is dropped and the phrase is pronounced wal-baitu not wa al-baitu.
To indicate this omission in pronunciation, this sign: <<
>> is placed above the hamzah.
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The initial vowel (a, i, or u) which is omitted
when preceded by a word is called hamazatu l-wasl.
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We have learnt that the tanwin is the indefinite
article, and it is to be translated as <<a>> e.g.
بَيْتٌ
means
a house. This rule does not apply to adjectives like
مَفْتُوْحٌ
"open", and
مَكْسُوْرٌ
"broken".
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