Optimality Theoretic Analysis of Najdi Broken Plural

Broken plural (BP) is an interesting yet complex phenomenon in Arabic. It has been studied extensively in Classical Arabic and Modern Standard Arabic. However, researchers do not find any source addressing BP in Najdi Arabic extensively. Wright (1971) claims that the BP is derived out of 31 patterns and the only way to learn it is to memorize these patterns. I undertake this study to answer two questions: How is broken plural derived in Najdi Arabic? What are the morpho-phonological processes that participate in the BP formation? McCarthy and Prince (1990a) devise a theory deriving the BP from roots mapped on an iambic template of (LH). This thesis presents a proposal that derives BP stems from singular stems through moraic correspondence and root consonantal identity. Every mora in the singular stem has a correspondent mora in the BP stem. Root consonants in the BP stem are identical to root consonants in the singular stem. McCarthy (2000) is the first to apply output-output moraic correspondence to the BP of Classical Arabic. Moraic correspondence allows the BP stem to have equal moras with its singular stem (less common BP) or an extra mora in the BP stem (common BP in Najdi). The extra mora (or affixed mora) has three main functions: It lengthens the vowel in the rightmost syllable of the BP stem or geminates (doubles) the second root consonant or initiates a new syllable if the rightmost one is full of moras. Vowel lengthening that is done by the affixed mora shifts to the syllable that is adjacent to the affix when there is an affix attached to the BP stem. Data analysis of this study follows the Optimality Theory posited by Prince and Smolensky (1993).