Deletion of Segments in Jussive Verbs: Generative Phonology View

The objectives: this research is meant to find correct phonological solutions to the deleted and reduced segments at the underlying level of jussive verbs in Modern Standard Arabic. The methodology: to account for any phonological change in jussive, the researcher refers to Chomsky's and Halle's (1968) theoretical views on Generative Phonology. The results: the lax vowels [u & a] are deleted in jussive verbs if they are followed either by a consonant in one environment and the lax vowel [a] in another. The vowels [ā, ū & ī] are reduced if followed by a consonant and the lax vowel [a] of the definite article al ‘the’. The conclusions: it is evident that the deletion and reduction of segments are not only syntactically motivated due to the occurrence of a jussive entity in the structure but also phonologically because there are certain specific environments in which such process take place.