Subdivisions of Faifi Arabic: a perceptual dialectology approach

Abstract

This paper investigates the perspectives held by native speakers of Faifi Arabic concerning the categorization of Faifi Arabic subdialects. Through the utilization of perceptual dialectology research techniques, participants engaged in two distinct tasks. The first task entailed the grouping of phonological features to articulate their perceived classification of dialects. Subsequently, they were tasked with pinpointing on a map the locations where the resulting feature groups were believed to be spoken. The outcomes of the study reveal that respondents identified four distinct subdialects within the mountainous areas, demarcated by clearly defined boundaries. These subdialect divisions appear to be correlated with the tribal divisions present within the region. This research highlights the necessity for further investigation into the perceptions that Arabic speakers uphold in relation to their own dialects, as well as to the dialects of other tribal communities within the Arabic-speaking context.