Motherese in Omani Arabic (Published)
Motherese, alternatively known as parentese, infant directed speech, or baby talk, is the spontaneous emotive manner in which mothers converse with their newborns and young children to establish mother-child communication. The occurrence of motherese in mother-child communication is attested cross-linguistically with variant extent and frequency in languages and cultures of the globe. Due to its distinct linguistic features that tease it out from adult directed speech, it is believed to have a positive role in facilitating and accelerating children’s acquisition of their mother tongue. Prominent linguistic features that characterize motherese are often the use of simplified constructions, specific lexical items intentionally meant for children, higher pitch, slower tempo, and prolonged pronunciation, among several other ones. The role these features play in enhancing children’s exposure to and comprehension of their mother tongue as well as the establishment of a compassionate mother-child relationship stand as the driving force behind its use by mothers from different walks of life cross-culturally. The Arab culture is not an exception to this tendency since motherese is attested in several varieties of Arabic. Omani Arabic as one member of these varieties does have motherese in its daily use; yet, it is not brought to light. In an attempt to sightsee such untraversed area and bring it to light, this paper is, thus, a humble endeavor to investigate the practice of using motherese among Omani mothers and children to establish mother-child communication. Results show that several features characterize Omani Arabic motherese, those that may conform to or differ from features that characterize baby talk in other languages and cultures.
Keywords: Arabic, Oman, Omani Arabic, baby talk, infant directed speech, motherese
The Apple Store as a site of language ideologies: Arabic language as an example (Published)
Even though advertisements are thought to be mainly published for economic reasons, they are not ideology neutral. In online platforms, developers of language learning apps will need to advertise in a way that reaches a larger population and is persuasive. Utilizing Critical Discourse Analysis (Fairclough, 1992), Multimodal Discourse Analysis (Kress and van Leeuwen, 2008), and Bhatia’s (1993) model of rhetorical moves, this study explores how developers of some Arabic Language Learning Applications (ALLAs) make use of discursive rhetorical persuasive strategies to advertise their products. The study also investigates how these advertisements can be ideology loaded by analyzing the descriptions of three ALLAs available on the Apple store. Findings show that ALLA developers connect the Standard Arabic language with Islamic religion and the Arabs’ identity as a rhetorical persuasive move. Also, success in Arabic language learning is promised with native Arabic speakers. Other moves link Islam to multimodal discursive units, such as colors and textile.
Keywords: Apple Store, Arabic, Ideology, advertisement, rhetorical
The Translation of Synonyms in Arabic and English, (Published)
This paper shows that synonyms are inevitable in language. Arabic or English are no exceptions. Both employ synonymy, i.e. synonymy can be within and across languages. It is a controversial issue among linguists of both languages. The study explores the translation of several synonymous lexical items. These samples were taken from Arabic and English specialized dictionaries of synonyms. Through adopting a comparative investigation to these samples, the study explains that the translation of synonyms is problematic in the said languages. The study argues that although Arabic and English have synonyms, each one tackles its synonyms through its own linguistic system, using its own rules. The translation of synonyms in Arabic and English shows that similarities between both languages tend to be less than differences for they differ in different aspects.
Keywords: Arabic, English, absolute synonymy, near synonymy, synonymy, translation
The Phenomenon of Gemination in English and Arabic (Published)
Gemination is a phonetic phenomenon whereby two identical /sounds/ co-occur in one word or at words boundaries. The co-occurrence of two identical sounds doesn’t matter, what matters is their pronunciation. Whether to pronounce them as one sound or two sounds is a matter treated differently across languages that have geminate sounds. As the present paper restricts itself to two languages only, Arabic and English, it investigates how gemination occurs in the two languages and how it can be represented? Is it restricted to consonants only or it can also occur with vowels? What type of gemination each language exhibits? These questions beside some more others are the main concern of the present paper in which the phenomenon of gemination is clarified in general, then a study of gemination is presented in English and Arabic respectively. There is a common view point which holds that English does not have gemination, but in fact it appears that English has gemination at certain conditions. Although it is unlike Arabic in its realization, but it can be said that gemination exists in English.
Keywords: Arabic, Comparison, English, Gemination, Phonetic Environment
Cohesion and Coherence in English and Arabic: A Cross-Theoretic Study (Published)
Cohesion and Coherence Theory plays a significant role in the field of discourse analysis. Despite the fact that it occupies an important status in the Western linguistic literature, its linguistic roots in other cultures especially those in Arabic have not been paid enough attention. In Arabic, the classical linguistic renown study, namely Al-Nadhm Theory, proposed by Al-Jirjani seems to be an antecedent version,in a way or another, to the Western one. Thus, a scholar investigation of this claim is worth conducting to form a solid and clearer picture about cohesion and coherence as linguistic notions. This has prompted this paper to concern itself with the task of cross-theoretically contrasting the two theories so as to show the similarities and differences between them. Additionally, it attempts to find out some aspects of convergence between them. In association with the aforementioned aims, this study hypothesizes that the Western theory is a merely developed version of an antecedent version, namely the Arabic one. Though the two theories expose differences, they show similarities and share many linguistic areas where they meet. To achieve the aims of this study and test its hypotheses, it adopts a procedure which involves reviewing cohesion and coherence in the two theories in question, contrasting them, and, on the basis of the findings of the contrast, drawing some conclusions that accord with aims and hypotheses of this piece of research work. The conclusions are drawn to show whether the hypotheses of the study are verified or rejected.
Keywords: Arabic, Contrast., English, coherence, cohesion
The Influence of Reading Comprehension on Reading Fluency (Published)
This paper presents an argument regarding whether Arabic language is useful in supporting the learning process of English language in Saudi Arabian classes. The paper address the literature review in the area regarding languages as supportive tools in learning English. Finally, the paper conclude that Arabic language is of extreme importance and act as a supportive tool for learning English language. Arabic language is very important for the process of learning English especially for English beginners.
Keywords: Arabic, Education, English Language, Saudi Arabia
Does Arabic Language Act As a Supportive Tool for Learning English in Saudi Arabian Classes (Published)
This paper presents an argument regarding whether Arabic language is useful in supporting the learning process of English language in Saudi Arabian classes. The paper address the literature review in the area regarding languages as supportive tools in learning English. Finally, the paper conclude that Arabic language is of extreme importance and act as a supportive tool for learning English language. Arabic language is very important for the process of learning English especially for English beginners.
Keywords: Arabic, Education, English Language, Saudi Arabia