Linguistic Change in the Arab World and Influential Sociolinguistic Factors (Dialectal Variation and Urban Dialects as a Case Study)

Abstract

Linguistic change in the Arab world represents a dynamic and complex phenomenon closely connected to social, political, and cultural transformations. Arabic dialects, in particular, demonstrate a high degree of variation influenced by urbanization, social stratification, migration, globalization, media, and gender. This study examines linguistic change in the Arab world with a focus on dialectal diversity and the role of urban dialects as a driving force in reshaping surrounding regional varieties. The research highlights how major cities function as centers of linguistic prestige, contributing to the spread of urban linguistic features and the gradual leveling of local dialects. By adopting a qualitative sociolinguistic approach, the study analyzes selected examples from different Arab urban contexts and traces the interaction between linguistic forms and sociolinguistic factors. The findings emphasize that linguistic change in Arabic dialects cannot be understood in isolation from social structures and identity dynamics, underscoring the need for a comprehensive sociolinguistic perspective in the study of Arabic language variation.