Study of Dialect Contact and Formation: A Case Study of Glottal-initial Verbs in Amman, Jordan

Authors

Chase Adams, Brigham Young University
Kirk Belnap, Brigham Young University

Keywords

dialect contact and formation, glottal-initial verbs, Amman, Jordan

College

Humanities

Department

Asian and Near Eastern Languages

Abstract

In tandem with Al-Wer’s ongoing Amman Project which discusses the dialect contact and potential for dialect formation in Amman, Jordan, this study seeks to understand the variance of conjugation patterns of the glottal-initial verbs ‘akal ‘to eat’ and ‘axad ‘to take’ based on the ethnic background and generational identity of the individual speaker. This study seeks to isolate a pattern of linguistic focusing and identity formation in third-generation Ammani youth vis-à-vis the phonetic shape (±Yod; /a:/, /o:/) in glottal-initial verbs which could corroborate Al-Wehr’s assertion that there is a new emerging vernacular as opposed to stable variation.

Recommended Citation

Adams, Chase and Belnap, Kirk (2016) "Study of Dialect Contact and Formation: A Case Study of Glottal-initial Verbs in Amman, Jordan," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2016: Iss. 1, Article 118.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2016/iss1/118