The Evolution of Ḍād: A Synchronic and Diachronic Analysis of the Emphatic Arabic Ḍād

The purpose of this study is to: (1) examine how the original ḍād consonant and its description evolved from how Sibawayhdocumented it, and (2) discuss the historical context surrounding the distribution of the ḍād across the Arabic-speaking world. The ḍād is oneof the most controversial consonants in the Arabic language, and therefore is a fascinating linguistic phenomenon to study. Almost none ofthe current dialects resemble the probable original variety introduced when the Arabic language was spread throughout the Middle East andNorth Africa around the birth of Islam. In the course of this study, the phonetics and phonology of the Arabic emphatic consonant ḍād willbe analyzed in detail, as well as the broader history of this emphatic across the Arabic-speaking world. Specifically, the historical contextsurrounding the development of the consonant will be examined. In addition, ideas about both the contact situation surrounding theconsonant and factors that may have influenced its present realization will be explored