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This is a very interesting, but also a very challenging question. Should it be ุจูููุชูุง or ุจูููุชุงู? So, should the Tanween (ุชูููู ุจุงููุชุญ) be on top of the Aleph or on the letter before it?
So we need to take a look at the writing of the ุชููููููู if you have to deal with an indefinite ุงูุณูู in the accusative (ู ูููุตููุจ) case.
First of all, you will usually encounter both versions: on top of the Aleph (ุจูููุชุงู) and before the Aleph (ุจูููุชูุง) – in books, in subtitles in movies, in calligraphies. But what is correct?
This has been a long debate.
In my opinion, the form ููุชุงุจูุง, i.e., beยญfore the Aleph, is more logical. But let’s see the details.
Why do people write the Tanween BEFORE the Aleph (ุจูููุชูุง)?
First of all, all other diacritical marks of the nunation are writยญten on the last letter. Moreover, by definition, the Aleph cannot carry any other vowel. It must carry ุณูููููู, resulting in ุงู. This is primary not a spelling problem, but a problem of pronunciation. If we write ููุชุงุจูุง, then we will pronounce it like ููุชุงุจููู.
However, if we write ููุชุงุจุงู, then we will suddenly get two ุณูููููู in a row which is impossible in Arabic (ุนูุฏูู ู ุงูููุชููุงุกู ุณุงููููุชููููู). We would have such a construction: ููุชุงุจูุงู+ูู.
Now, imagine that we stopped after ููุชุงุจุงู. You can’t add the ูู then.
How can you justify the spelling ON TOP of the Aleph (ุจูููุชุงู)?
You may say that the other signs of declension are also put on the last letter which is true (e.g., ููุชุงุจู or ููุชุงุจู); furthermore, you may say that you are aware that there can’t be two subsequent ุณูููููู which is the reason why they come together in one place.
What’s correct?
Today the spelling is more a matter of taste and depends on the region.
- Before the Aleph (ููุชุงุจูุง): mainly in Egypt and the Hijฤz.
- On top of the Aleph (ููุชุงุจุงู): You will primarily encounter this spelling in Syria and Lebanon (ุฃููููู ุงูุดูุงู ู).
Special situations
If you encounter one of the following four situations, you don’t have a choice. You have to put the tanween (ุชูููู) like in the examples.
example | last letter |
---|---|
ุงูููุชููุงุกู, ู ุงุกู | ููู ูุฒุฉ |
ู ูุตูุทูููู,ุนูุตูุง | ุฃูููู ู ูููุตููุฑุฉ |
ุฃูุณูุฑุฉู | ุฉ – ุชุงุก ุชูุฃููููุซ |
ู ูููุฌูุฃู |
Excursus: The nature of the Aleph
There is a theoretical discussion going on claiming that the Aleph is not a “silent letter” (ุญูุฑูู ุณุงููู) but rather a “long vowel”, a so called ุญูุฑูู ู ูุฏู.
To remind you: The latter (ุญูุฑูู ู ูุฏู) explains the rule why the 2long vowel” in a verb has to be elided, if the verb is ู ูุฌูุฒููู โ as it is theoretically impossible to have two ุณููููู in a row.
An example:
ููู ู ูููููู is correct and works, but ููู ู ูููููููู doesn’t work whereas theoretically, ูููููููู does. If you are interested in these theoretical discussions, try to search for this term: ุงูููุชููุงุก ุณุงูููููููู
Question: Final Aleph in Arabic: ู ูุณุงุกูุง or ู ูุณุงุกู โ What is correct?
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