A sociolinguistic analysis of the use of English loanwords inflected with Arabic morphemes as slang in Amman, Jordan

Abstract

AbstractThis study aims to examine the use of English loanwords inflected with Arabic morphemes by young people in Amman, Jordan. It adopts a quantitative corpus-based approach supported by qualitative data. We collected data from young Facebook male and female users who come from families with different socio-economic status, and we conducted semi-structured interviews with 60 students at the University of Jordan to get more insight into the attitudes of young individuals in Jordan who use these English loanwords, and to account for the reasons that drive these individuals to use them. Data analysis shows that the participants’ gender and socioeconomic status are major factors that affect the use of these loanwords. Data analysis also reveals that these English loanwords could be used as a form of slang by a certain group of young individuals in Amman to claim a specific social identity and an in-group membership that distinguishes them from another group of young individuals who do not use these words. We argued that a number of symbolic values could be attached to the use of English loanwords inflected with Arabic morphemes by that group and analysed the reasons behind such linguistic behaviour.