الإصدار 3 - العدد 8 (2025-11-20)

Sociolinguistic Variation in Jordanian Arabic: A Comprehensive Analysis of Phonological and Morphological Patterns

Researcher: Musab Yassir Al Matarneh

PhD Student at Mysore University

Head of the Department of Private Educational Institutions Structures

Private Education Directorate

Ministry of Education

This study investigates sociolinguistic variation in Jordanian Arabic, focusing on phonological and morphological patterns across northern, central, and southern regions. Drawing on a stratified sample of 180 native speakers, the research employs a mixed-methods approach integrating variationist sociolinguistics, dialectology, and contact linguistics. Key findings reveal systematic regional differences, with northern and southern dialects retaining conservative features while central urban varieties exhibit innovation due to dialect contact. Phonological variables, such as the realization of /q/ and interdental fricatives, show apparent-time changes toward urban norms, influenced by age, gender, and education. Morphological variation, including verbal conjugation and pronoun systems, demonstrates regularization and contact-induced changes, particularly from Palestinian Arabic. The results contribute to Arabic dialectology by highlighting the interplay of historical, social, and functional factors in language variation. Implications for language technology, education, and policy are discussed.