The Exchange of Short Vowels in the Four Irregular Readings above the Ten: Functions and Phonemic, Morphological and Grammatical Meanings

Abstract

The study of multi- functions of the short vowels and their phonemic, morphological and syntactic meanings is considered as an essential topic within the Arabic linguistic system due to the key position that its variations assume in building this system. Among these short vowels, there may be occasional or emergency changes that come for reasons and causes imposed by the rules of language, or approved by the linguistic reality of use, which leads to shifts in their semantic meanings and functional values. The question raised is: Do variations within short vowels in the four irregular readings contribute to the multiplicity of their interpretations and functional values? This paper attempts to answer this question with a more analytical and in-depth, referring to the findings of linguists, phonologists, Qur’an interpreters, and proofreaders. The findings are: that the variations within short vowels in the four irregular readings could contribute to the multiplicity of their functions and their phonological, morphological and grammatical meanings.