The Effect of Gender and Origin on The Speech Accommodation of Irbidians.pdf (475.24 kB)
The Effect of Gender and Origin on The Speech Accommodation of Irbidians.pdf
conference contribution
posted on 2021-01-14, 16:58 authored by Muhammad Mushfiqur RahmanMuhammad Mushfiqur Rahman, Mohammed Mahmoud Marashdeh, Jianning Wang, Salasiah Che LahThis study aims at investigating speech style adjustments among Jordanians living in Irbid as well as the
reason for the adaptation along with the frequency and consequences. The two variables: /q/, /ϴ/ are the
study's concern because of their sensitivity to sound variation. Most studies about language variation among
Arabic speakers focus only on social parameters ignoring the interlocutors' psychology causing affecting
such variation. accordingly, this study employs the Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT)
framework to grasp also the interlocutor’s psychological manner. This theory posits the influence of the
addresser on the addressee, and vice versa in the speech style adjustment. Additionally, accommodation
happens gain the interlocutor’s likeness if there is no identity threat. Meanwhile, asserting identity and
distinction invokes language divergence. The respondents were 12 selected randomly and divided in terms
of sex and origin. The findings reveal women of both origins are more apt to use a prestigious linguistic
form of /q/ and /ϴ/. Men of both origins prefer to use more of the standard form of /ϴ/. However, those of
Palestinian origin are keener to adapt their /q/ variant to the host's one. Hence, women and men have
different linguistic behaviors. Women are more prestigious in their speech regardless of origin, while men
of immigrants' origin find it better to drop the marked items to be more acceptable to the host's community.
reason for the adaptation along with the frequency and consequences. The two variables: /q/, /ϴ/ are the
study's concern because of their sensitivity to sound variation. Most studies about language variation among
Arabic speakers focus only on social parameters ignoring the interlocutors' psychology causing affecting
such variation. accordingly, this study employs the Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT)
framework to grasp also the interlocutor’s psychological manner. This theory posits the influence of the
addresser on the addressee, and vice versa in the speech style adjustment. Additionally, accommodation
happens gain the interlocutor’s likeness if there is no identity threat. Meanwhile, asserting identity and
distinction invokes language divergence. The respondents were 12 selected randomly and divided in terms
of sex and origin. The findings reveal women of both origins are more apt to use a prestigious linguistic
form of /q/ and /ϴ/. Men of both origins prefer to use more of the standard form of /ϴ/. However, those of
Palestinian origin are keener to adapt their /q/ variant to the host's one. Hence, women and men have
different linguistic behaviors. Women are more prestigious in their speech regardless of origin, while men
of immigrants' origin find it better to drop the marked items to be more acceptable to the host's community.
