Flourishing Creativity & Literacy - Dialect and Cultural Contact, Shift and Maintenance among the Jordanians Living in Irbid City: A Sociolinguistic Study

Oct 15, 2026

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The paper investigates dialect and cultural contact among Jordanians living in Irbid city in northern Jordan, focusing on the extent of dialect and cultural shift alongside maintenance. Data are gathered through interviews and observations from a sample of 100 participants selected for availability, representing diverse ages, gender, and educational backgrounds. Findings indicate continuous shifts in dialects and culture driven by direct intergroup contact, producing blended dialect and cultural elements within Irbid.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Literature Review

Advances in Language and Literary Studies ISSN: 2203-4714 Vol. 6 No. 4; August 2015 Australian International Academic Centre, Australia Flourishing Creativity & Literacy Dialect and Cultural Contact, Shift and Maintenance among the Jordanians Living in Irbid City: A Sociolinguistic Study Ibrahim Abushihab English Department, Faculty of Arts/English Department, Amman-Jordan E-mail: [facultyofarts2@yahoo.com](facultyofarts2@yahoo.com) Doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.4p.84 URL: [http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.4p.84](http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.4p.84) Received: 21/03/2015 Accepted: 30/05/2015 Abstract The paper investigates the issue of dialect and cultural contact among Jordanians living in Irbid city in the north of Jordan. The objective of the paper is to find the extent of dialect and cultural shift and maintenance among them. The data are collected by means of interviews and observations. A sample of 100 participants has been selected on the grounds of availability. The sample includes different ages, gender and educational background. The results show that the Jordanians living in Irbid city in the north of Jordan are experiencing a continuous shift in their dialects and culture because of the direct contact among them. This is a result of a mixture of dialects and cultural elements used in Irbid city. Keywords: Language shift, Language maintenance, Language attitudes, Dialects and Jordanian culture 1. Introduction Recently, language and cultural shift and maintenance have been the core of interest by many sociolinguists such as Clyne (1982), Ferguson et al (198 1) and Fishman (1989) .They reveal that languages and cultures are experiencing a kind of shift as a result of language contact and some sociolinguistic factors. Languages and dialects are not stable. They are in state of change and development. Most societies are experiencing a gradual shift in their languages, dialects and culture. Fishman (1964) stresses the importance of analyzing language shift and language maintenance for the understanding of the consequences of multilingual language contact. Fishman (1966) points out that language maintenance and language shift are important issues in analyzing the change and stability in habitual language use or cultural processes. Arabic language includes two major versions: Modern standard Arabic and colloquial dialects used in different parts of the Arab world. Khalil (2010) states that modern standard Arabic is the language of publications, the media and academic institutions. Al-Saidat and Al-Momani (2010) point out that modern standard Arabic is taken from classical Arabic which is the language of literature and the noble Quran. Al-Saidat and Al-Momani (ibid) add colloquial Arabic is a collection term for the spoken varieties of Arabic; it includes a number of regional varieties and the everyday spoken language. Dialects vary from one place to another because of the geographical factors and sociolinguistic variables. In Jordan, there are four major dialects: Urban, Rural, Bedouin and Palestinian. The objective of the current paper is to study and investigate these dialects and the cultural situation in Irbid city. 2. Literature Review Language is a means of communication and it is an effective tool for communication among human beings and for sharing ideas and expressing feelings and emotions. Language may be preserved as native language from generation to generation where a variety of elements may lead to the loss of the language or dialect. Many sociolinguists such as Fishman (1964, 1989), Ferguson (1981), Dweik (2000),Yeldiz (2000) and Nofal (2011) are interested in these phenomena. Holmes et al (1993) list different factors that foster language maintenance. Some of which are: 1) using the mother tongue at home; 2) positive attitude towards the language; and 3) resistance to mixed marriage. Garcia (2003) asserts that if we study language maintenance and la

FAQs

What is the main objective of the study on Jordanians in Irbid city?

The study aims to examine the extent of dialect and cultural shift and the degree of maintenance among Jordanians living in Irbid city.

How were the data collected and who participated in the study?

The data were collected via interviews and observations. A sample of 100 participants was selected, covering different ages, genders, and educational backgrounds.

What do the results suggest about dialect and cultural change in Irbid?

The results show continuous shifts in dialects and culture due to direct contact among Jordanians, leading to mixtures of dialects and cultural elements in Irbid city.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Terk