Understanding the Noun and Tashdeed (Tanween)
The distinction between the Arabic noun and the added sound of Tanween is based on several criteria, involving various rules related to other letters in the Arabic language. Below is a detailed explanation:
Differences Between the Noun and Tanween
The rules governing the pronunciation of the noun and Tanween are generally similar; however, there are notable differences. The letter “N” (ن) is a fixed component of the root word, whether it be a noun, verb, or particle. It may appear both in the middle and at the end of words, contrasting with Tanween, which serves solely as an additional marker affixed to a word. Tanween is pronounced but not written, and it manifests only at the end of nouns, without being attached to verbs or particles. While the letter “N” is considered a fundamental letter of the Arabic alphabet, Tanween can be thought of as an additional “N” sound that is articulated as double diacritics, which can be either two Dhammas, two Kasras, or two Fathas.
Rules for Noun and Tanween
Both the silent letter “N” (ن) and Tanween are governed by four rules depending on their interaction with the letters of the Arabic alphabet, which are detailed as follows:
- Rule of Izhar: This involves articulating the letters without stress or nasalization when the silent “N” or Tanween meets one of the six “Izhar” letters: أ, هـ, ع, ح, خ, غ.
- Rule of Idgham: This is the merging of one letter into another, resulting in a single pronounced letter with stress. The Idgham letters are: ي, ر, م, ن, و, ل.
- Rule of Ikhfaa: This refers to the pronunciation of the letters of Ikhfaa in a manner that lies between Izhar and Idgham. The Ikhfaa letters total fifteen and include: ص, ذ, ث, ك, ج, ش, ق, س, د, ط, ز, ف, ت, ض, ظ.
- Rule of Iqlab: This rule involves substituting a letter at the time of pronunciation. In this case, the letter “B” becomes a concealed “M” when it is pronounced following a silent “N” or Tanween.
Characteristics of Letters
The characteristics of Arabic letters are classified into qualities that have opposites and qualities inherent to the letter with no opposites. These are outlined below:
- Qualities with Opposites:
- Softness versus hardness.
- Voicing versus whispering.
- Height versus depth.
- Compression versus openness.
- Clarity versus muffling.
- Other Letter Characteristics:
- Rebound (Qalqalah).
- Softness (Lin).
- Repetition (Taqreer).
- Hissing (Sareer).
- Diffusion (Tafashshuh).
- Lengthening (Istita’lah).
- Deviation (Inhiraf).