Diacritics What They Are and How They’re Used in Arabic

The written Arabic alphabet contains only consonants. In speech, consonant sounds form by restricting the flow of air from the lungs. The free-flowing sounds emphasizing the different meanings of words in Arabic come from the use of diacritics rather than distinct letters. At Arab Academy, we help students learn the various characteristics and pronunciations of the Arabic language. Here is some additional information about diacritics and how they’re used:

Defining Diacritics

Diacritics are not unique to the Arabic language; they are used in many dialects. These are the grammatical markers used to emphasize sounds within a word. They are placed above, below, and sometimes even through letters, informing the speaker of how the modified letter should be pronounced. That emphasis can also help define the meaning of the word.

In the Arabic language, diacritics direct the vowel sounds within a word and how long the sound is held. Vowels are pronounced when air is allowed to flow freely from the lungs. Changes in tone and pitch occur by moving the jaw, lips, and tongue without closing them completely.

Understanding the Tashkeel

The different diacritics used to denote vowels in Arabic can be referred to as the tashkeel. The first is fathah, formed by placing a diagonal stroke over the consonant it’s meant to follow. Fathah makes the “a” sound. Next is kasrah, which occurs by placing a diagonal stroke underneath the consonant it follows, making the “i” sound. Dammah denotes the vowel “u” sound and is indicated by placing an apostrophe-like shape over the consonant it’s meant to follow. Another is sukoon, which is written by placing a small circle over a consonant. Sukoon is the voweless diacritic, meaning no sound is to be pronounced after the consonant it modifies.

Fathah, kasrah, and dammah denote short vowels. They can also serve to signify long vowels, but only when followed by a particular Arabic letter. This letter is known as an Alif in the case of fathah, a Ya in the case of kasrah, and a Waw in the case of dammah. These simply mean that you hold the vowel sound out longer.

Using Diacritics

Arabic words are pronounced from right to left, meaning the last letter in the word is actually pronounced first. You begin by pronouncing the sound of the first consonant and then looking above or below for the accompanying diacritic. After pronouncing the sound indicated by the diacritic, you can move on to the following consonant and repeat the process. Pronunciation continues leftward until you reach the end of the word.

Sukoon is considered voweless because it indicates the end of the word. Once you see a sukoon mark, you cut off the pronunciation of the modified consonant in the word. This particular use of sukoon means that you should never see it used at the beginning of a word.

Learn More About the Arabic Language

Emphasizing sounds with diacritics highlights both the similarities and differences between the Arabic language and other dialects. The instructors and courses at Arab Academy aim to help students recognize these similarities and use them to improve their comprehension of the language. Contact us today to get started with learning the Arabic language.