The Theory of Classical Arabic Metrics
J. M. Maling, 1973
This study proposes a reanalysis of the system of sixteen meters of classical (including pre-Islamic) Arabic poetry. The results suggest that metrical systems can be accounted for by metrical grammars. Base rules generate a simple abstract metrical pattern and corresponding tree structure from which all other meters can be derived. Various deletion, substitution and copying transformations generate other abstract patterns which correspond to the subgroups of meters traditionally called "circles". The traditional terminology reflects the main principle of Arabic metrics: the Arabic poetric tradition makes use of all possible meters that can be generated from the basic pattern(s) by cyclical permutation. The output of the transormations is a set of sequnces of three metrical elements, K = cord, P = iambic peg, and Q = trochaic peg. The correspondence rules relate these abstract patterns to metrical sequences of breves and macrons. The matching of these metrical sequences of breves and macrons with actual lines of ppoetry can be considered analogous to lexical insertion. It is shown that the correspondance rules must refer to foot boundaries within the halfline. A surface structure filter rejects any unmetrical outputs, specifically any sequence of four or more breves. An intermediate point in the derivation is determined which defines a level at which all halflines in a given poem must be (abstractly) identical.
Thesis Supervisor: Morris Halle
Title: Professor of Linguistics
Table of Contents
Chapter I Introduction 9
1.1 Description of the Arabic ode, qaqida 9
1.2 The science of prosody 10
1.3 Role of stress in Arabic verse 13
Chapter II The circle theory 16
2.0 General theory of meter 16
2.1 Metrical length in quantitative verse 18
2.1.1 Definition for Arabic verse 18
2.1.2 Consequences for verse-final syllable 20
2.1.3 Other possible definitions 22
2.2 The circle theory of al-Xalil 24
2.2.1 Definitions; peg/cord distinction 26
2.2.2 The classical meters 28
2.2.3 The base rules 30
2.3 Metrical transformations 32
2.3.1 Circle V 35
2.3.2 Apparent gaps in circle II 36
2.3.3 Apparent gaps in circle I 39
2.3.4 Apparent gaps in circle IV 44
2.3.5 The verse-final trochaic peg 48
2.3.6 The dimeter circle 55
2.4 Summary of the metrical rules 59
Chapter III The correspondence rules 63
3.0 Distinction between nihafat and ʕilal 63
3.1 Basic feet of the Arabic meters 65
3.2 Weaknesses in the Arabic notation 66
3.2.1 CVC versus CVC syllables 68
3.2.2 Functional similarity: an example 69
3.3 ziharafat: derivation of acatalectic feet 71
3.3.1 Cord shortening rules 72
3.3.2 Extension of parenthesis notation 73
3.4 Rule interaction 74
3.4.1 Muʕaqaba 76
3.4.2 Muraqaba 77
3.4.3 Constraints on short syllables 81
3.4.4 Kamil: the "insertion meter" 90
3.5 Incorporation of muʕaqaba in correspondence rules 93
3.5.1 Conventions on rule application 93
3.5.2 Summary of the zihafat rules 96
3.6 ʕilal: derivation of catalectic feet 96
3.6.1 Cord deletion 98
3.6.2 Peg shortening 101
3.6.3 Trochaic peg shortening 102
3.6.4 Other cases of peg shortening 104
3.6.5 Peg deletion 105
3.6.6 Minor insertion rules: hypercatalexis 106
3.6.7 Summary of rules in metrical grammar 107
3.7 Classification of meters by final foot 109
3.7.1 PKK 114
3.7.2 KPK 115
3.7.3 KKP 116
Chapter IV The Rubaʕi and the Persian meters 118
4.1 Form of the rubaʕ i 119
4.2 Comparison of rubaʕ i and hazaj 123
4.2.1 Arabic hazaj 123
4.2.2 Other analyses 126
4.2.3 Persian hazaj 130
Appendix A Zihafat and ʕilal 136
Appendix B The nim-fatha in Persian metrics 144