The final /f/ in the Arabic lexicon: a sublexical submorpheme correlated with the notion of lightness

Abstract

This article delves into the submorphemic analysis of triliteral roots ending with the consonant /f/ in the Arabic language lexicon. Among these roots sharing the final /f/, over a third reveal a semantic connection with the concept of ‘lightness’. The phonetic and articulatory features of the /f/ phoneme transcend their purely mechanical aspect to form a mimophony, thus evoking the subjective experience associated with lightness. The semantic structure of lightness, amalgamating concrete references and abstract constructs, is examined through the lens of Conceptual Metaphor Theory for its semantic analysis. However, an innovative explanatory model of the notion of lightness is proposed to capture its multiple manifestations, both abstract and concrete. Lastly, the article addresses the proposal of the term "sublexical submorpheme", underscoring the imperative to adapt morphological terminology to submorphemic and submorphological research. This adaptation proves crucial for a precise understanding of the specifics inherent in this emergent level of linguistic analysis.