A Hundred and One Rules in Arabic Grammar!

59. The Phonological Environment for Form VIII Verb ===================================================

Thecharacteristic feature of Form VIII is the reflexive affix /** ـتـَ** / which is inserted after the first radical of the root. That /** ـتـَ** / will create the environment for a phonological rule of assimilation that applies itself if the first radical is a dental stop or fricative. The result is that the inserted /** ـتـَ** / is assimilated. Involved here are the following consonants:

Compare the following examples:

(a) a fully pronounced  /** ـتـَ** / جَمَعَ     إجتَمَعَ

(b) a fully assimilated  /** ـتـَ** /                           زادَ - إزدادَ    ،  دَعا - إدَّعی

Luckily, Arabic does not have many verbs of this type. However, you need to remember the three following related phonological rules:

(1). After the emphatic consonants ص ض ط the inserted /** ـتـَ** / becomes emphaticط , as in صَدَمَ - إصطدَمَ

(2). After the fricatives ت ظ there is a complete assimilation and the resultant double consonant is written with Shadda, as in** ظَلـَمَ – إظـَّلـَمَ   **

(3). If the first radical of the verb is**(** و ) as in ** وَصَلَ** , the**(** و ) will be completely assimilated by the inserted  /** ـتـَ** /, and thus the use of the Shadda would be required. Consider the following example: