On Dialectical Roots in Judeo-Arabic Texts from Constantine (East Algeria)

The language of the Constantinian sharhcombining dot below (Judeo-Arabic translation) of the Bible is characterized by conservative and archaic trends. Thus penetration of colloquial features into its linguistic fabric is of special interest. This paper analyzes a variety of vernacular roots that found their way into the Constantinian sharhcombining dot below of various biblical books, as well as into translations of post-biblical texts and original texts written in the Judeo-Arabic dialect of Constantine. The discussion encompasses two types of dialectal roots. Three secondary roots: √lss, √sgm, and √tkl, and four roots formed through metathesis: √h'd, √scombining dot belownt, √wǧb, and √n'l. These roots are examined from several perspectives, including their formation, their distribution in the Constantinian Judeo-Arabic corpus of texts, and their comparison to other Maghrebian dialects.