Bassiouney Reem. Arabic Sociolinguistics

Edinburgh University Press, 2009. — 311 pages. — ISBN: 978-0-7486-2373-0; ISBN: 978-0-7486-2374-7.The first introduction to the field of Arabic sociolinguistics, this book discusses major trends in research on diglossia, code-switching, gendered discourse, language variation and change, and language policies in relation to Arabic. In doing so, it introduces and evaluates the various theoretical approaches, and illustrates the usefulness and the limitations of these approaches with empirical data. The book shows how sociolinguistic theories can be applied to Arabic and, conversely, what the study of Arabic can contribute to our understanding of the function of language in society.Key features*Introduces current theories and methods of sociolinguistics, with a special focus on Arabic
*Topics include: language variation and change, gender, religion and politics
*Aimed at students and scholars of Arabic with an interest in linguistics and students and scholars of linguistics with an interest in ArabicReview
Arabic Sociolinguistics offers a new perspective on language variation and change, and makes it clear that language variation in the Arab world is undoubtedly different from that in the West. With a readable style, the book addresses the very complex diglossic situation in the Arab world with concrete examples resulting from interesting case studies that challenge the findings of recent studies on different sociolinguistic issues. We highly recommend this book to all readers who wish to gain a better understanding of Arabic and the Arab world. - Radia Benzehra and Don R. McCreary, University of Georgia Journal of Sociolinguistics Arabic Sociolinguistics offers a new perspective on language variation and change, and makes it clear that language variation in the Arab world is undoubtedly different from that in the West. With a readable style, the book addresses the very complex diglossic situation in the Arab world with concrete examples resulting from interesting case studies that challenge the findings of recent studies on different sociolinguistic issues. We highly recommend this book to all readers who wish to gain a better understanding of Arabic and the Arab world.[This] book is the first of its kind in Arabic sociolinguistics. It will set the standard for the field with its rich insights, brilliant range, and copious examples that make the subject come alive. I have no doubt whatsoever that this book will quickly emerge as the primary text on any course on Arabic in the social world. - Yasir Suleiman, Director, Centre of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, University of Cambridge A welcome addition to the literature in this important and growing field. Arabic Sociolinguistics is to my knowledge the only up-to-date, comprehensive manual on the whole subject. The book is written in a pleasingly informal style, and is full of acute (and often personal) observations on the subtle ways in which language and society interact in the Arabic-speaking world. It should be of great benefit both to the student of Arabic and the general linguist with no knowledge of Arabic. - Clive Holes, Professor for the study of the contemporary Arab world, Oriental Institute, University of Oxford For those interested in the Arab situation from a sociolinguistic point of view, it seems indispensable. The enthusiasm of the author and the abundant and insightful examples make this a good book to be discovered by readers of traditional introductions into sociolinguistics, which, so this book demonstrates, have as their point of departure a western way of looking at things. For many readers, a renewed acquaintance with sociolinguistics will arise after reading it. The book thus calls for more descriptions of language variation situations that are not western. - Dick Smakman, University of Leiden [This] book is the first of its kind in Arabic sociolinguistics. It will set the standard for the field with its rich insights, brilliant range, and copious examples that make the subject come alive. I have no doubt whatsoever that this book will quickly emerge as the primary text on any course on Arabic in the social world. A welcome addition to the literature in this important and growing field. Arabic Sociolinguistics is to my knowledge the only up-to-date, comprehensive manual on the whole subject. The book is written in a pleasingly informal style, and is full of acute (and often personal) observations on the subtle ways in which language and society interact in the Arabic-speaking world. It should be of great benefit both to the student of Arabic and the general linguist with no knowledge of Arabic. For those interested in the Arab situation from a sociolinguistic point of view, it seems indispensable. The enthusiasm of the author and the abundant and insightful examples make this a good book to be discovered by readers of traditional introductions into sociolinguistics, which, so this book demonstrates, have as their point of departure a western way of looking at things. For many readers, a renewed acquaintance with sociolinguistics will arise after reading it. The book thus calls for more descriptions of language variation situations that are not western.