Research & Projects

Desciption

This project applies Optimality Theory to examine the distribution of the glottal stop in Arabic across different word positions—initial, medial, and final. It systematically analyzes its occurrence in nouns, verbs, and adjectives, while also accounting for morphological variation across singular, dual, and plural forms. The study aims to identify the constraint interactions that govern glottal stop realization and to provide a structured account of its behavior within the phonological system of Arabic.

Results

The findings indicate that in Arabic phonology, syllables in initial and medial positions do not begin with a vowel. When a vowel appears to occupy the onset position, an epenthetic glottal stop is inserted to satisfy syllable structure constraints and ensure a consonantal onset.

In contrast, the word-final position exhibits greater variability. Most singular and plural forms retain the glottal stop; however, a subset of irregular plural forms shows a different pattern, where the glottal stop is not realized and is instead replaced by a glide. This variation suggests that morphological structure interacts with phonological constraints, leading to different surface realizations in regular versus irregular forms.

Description

This project investigates dialect shift among speakers from southern Saudi Arabia, focusing on how individuals adapt their linguistic practices when moving to urban, multidialectal environments. Drawing on a sociolinguistic framework, the study examines how speakers navigate between their local dialect and more widely understood koine or standard varieties across different social and professional contexts.

Results

The findings show that dialect shift is shaped by a combination of factors, including dialect contact, language ideologies, and speakers’ desire for social mobility and acceptance. Many participants reported reducing or modifying salient features of their local dialect in formal or mixed settings, while maintaining them in more familiar or community-based interactions. This shift is not uniform or linear; rather, it reflects a strategic and context-sensitive process in which speakers actively negotiate identity, belonging, and social positioning through language use.

My graduation project