Research Article Details

Citation Journal Title: The International Jordanian Journal Aryam for Humanities and Social Sciences

Citation Title: Minor Syllables in Moroccan Arabic: Evidence from a Secret Language in Kenitra Dialect

Citation Author: Said Rafi 1*, Ahmed Smirkou 2, Adil Mrhar 3, Nassim Sabrou4, Mansour Zeroual5

Citation Affiliation: Laboratory of Literature, Arts and Pedagogical Engineering, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco, Laboratory of Literature, Arts and Pedagogical Engineering, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco.

Citation Volume: 8

Citation Issue: 1

Citation Year: 2026

Citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.65811/814

Citation PDF: https://aijj.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IJJA-VOL8-ISSUE-1NO4-2026-PP-77-92-PDF-1.pdf

Received Date: 7 january 2026

Revised Date: 26 february 2026

Accepted Date: 2 march 2026

Publication Date: 10 march 2026

First Page: 77

Citation Abstract: This paper investigates the existence and behavior of minor syllables in Moroccan Arabic (MA) through data drawn from a secret language (SL) used by speakers of the Kenitra dialect. Specifically, it examines the placement of the dummy infix (DI) -akun- and its role in conforming to the prosodic structure of MA. Drawing on Optimality Theory (OT) (Prince & Smolensky, 1993), the analysis shows that the DI consistently targets the first vowel of the stem and is never inserted after a minor syllable, which lacks a vowel. The findings support earlier claims that MA permits minor syllables. Accordingly, this paper provides phonological evidence supporting the existence of minor syllables in MA and shows that they cannot serve as suitable hosts for infixation processes. The constraint Affix-to-Initial-Root-Vowel is at play to ensure that DI appears before the first vowel of the stem rather than attaching to a minor syllable.

Citation Keywords: Moroccan Arabic, minor syllables, secret language, infixation