2. Phonology
Wiktor GębskiThis chapter provides an in-depth examination of the phonology of Jewish Gabes and its position within the spectrum of Tunisian Arabic dialects, with a particular focus on the Jewish ones. Notably, the study reveals substantial distinctions between the Muslim and Jewish dialects of Gabes, especially concerning the realisation of specific consonants and phonemic vowels. The Muslim variant aligns phonologically with Bedouin-type dialects, while the Jewish dialect displays characteristics typical of sedentary varieties, like the plosive realisation of interdentals and uvular realisation of /q/. The analysis includes a study the evolution of diphthongs in Jewish Gabes, illustrating the shifts from /ay/ to /ī/ and /aw/ to /ū/. A comparison is made with other Jewish dialects like Wad-Souf and Jewish Tunis. The discussion then turns to the development of sibilants and the retention of /h/ in Jewish Gabes, features that diverge from other regional dialects. Emphasis spread in Jewish Gabes is explored, revealing variations in the pharyngealised nature of /q/ and the spreadability of emphatic consonants. Finally, scrutiny of the vowel inventory shows that it contains three long phonemic vowels (/ī/, /ā/, /ū/) and three short phonemic vowels (/a/, /ə/, /o/), with nuances in the quality of /ə/ based on consonantal context.