Adaptation of Tashlhiyt onsetless syllables in Moroccan Arabic

Loanword phonology has been an intriguing topic for researchers recently Morocco has witnessed the overlap of several cultures and languages. This has an impact on the lexicon of Moroccan Arabic (MA), which has been heavily influenced by borrowings from other languages such as Amazigh. In this study, I shall present and analyse a new set of data of loanwords from Amazigh into MA. The focus of this paper is on the adaptation of initial onsetless syllables —given that the onset is compulsory in MA, but not in Amazigh. I shall argue that insertion is not the favoured (default) adaptation, as current models of loanword adaptation claim, and attempt an alternative account within Optimality Theory. Revue Langues et Littératures, Vol. 22 (2012)