Arabic Sociolinguistics

Cambridge University Press eBooks

Abstract

Written by four leading experts, this book provides a comprehensive overview of sociolinguistic variation and linguistic change in Arabic. It introduces sociolinguistic theory, methods, and data step-by-step, using accessible language and extensive examples throughout. Topics covered include sociolinguistic methodology, social variables, language change, spatial variation, and contact and diffusion. Each topic is explained and illustrated using empirical data drawn from a wide array of Arabic-speaking communities in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as other parts of the world where Arabic is or was spoken, to provide a rich resource of individual dialects, as well as a comparative view of variation in Arabic. Each chapter also contains annotated suggestions for further reading and elaborate exercises. It is an essential resource for students studying Arabic in its social context, as well as anyone wishing to expand their knowledge of variation in Arabic.

Authors 4

1. Enam Al‐Wer

   University of Essex

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Essex

2. Uri Horesh
3. Bruno Herin

   Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales

   Affiliation as printed

   Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales, Paris

4. Rudolf De Jong Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Universiteit Leiden