The linguistic sitting in Upper Egypt comprises three different linguistic varieties: Standard Arabic, Cairene Arabic and Upper Egyptian Arabic (UEA). Standard Arabic is used in formal communication either orally or in writing. Cairene Arabic is the Arabic dialect used mainly in Cairo and most radio and TV programs, while UEA is the dialect used in Upper Egypt. The main objective of this article is to illustrate that although these Arabic varieties belong to the same language and are therefore mutually intelligible (i.e. speakers of any variety understand and can be understood the speakers of the other varieties), the phonological, lexical and morphosyntactic differences exhibited by these varieties are significant enough to cause significant communicative problems as well as learning difficulties.
Arabic Linguistics; Comparative Dialectology; communication; multiglossia.
1. The Linguistic Setting in Upper Egypt:
The main objective of this article is to illustrate how the linguistic varieties of Arabic as used in Upper Egypt exhibit significant linguistic differences at the phonological, lexical and morphosyntactic levels. More importantly, these linguistic differences could cause communicative problems as well as learning difficulties.
A careful examination of the linguistic situation in Upper Egypt reveals that it comprises three linguistic varieties: Standard Arabic, Cairene Arabic and Upper Egyptian Arabic (UEA). By Standard Arabic I mean Modern Standard Arabic as used in formal communication settings either orally or in writing. By Cairene Arabic I mean the Arabic dialect as typically used in Cairo, as well as in most radio and TV programs. By UEA I mean the Arabic dialect as used in upper Egyptian towns and villages. It should be pointed out that the classification of these linguistic varieties is subject to such factors as age, educational level, social class and geographic boundaries.
The distribution and the frequency of exposure to the three Arabic varieties mentioned above are tentatively outlined below:
Standard Arabic: e.g. Arabic classes at school; religious speeches on Fridays; formal radio talks and news programs; formal TV talks and news programs; any communication via writing & any reading activity since Standard Arabic is the only variety that has a writing system; and finally some of the cartoon films designed for children in Standard Arabic.
Cairene Arabic: e.g. most radio programs particularly serials and informal interviews and shows; most TV programs particularly movies and informal interviews & shows; children’s communication with either parent in case he or she is a native speaker of this variety; exposure to some of the cartoon films designed for children in Cairene Arabic; and most importantly, some parents are so keen for the adoption of the Cairene variety by their children due to the assumption that the adoption of this variety is viewed in upper Egypt as a symbol of prestige and social mobility.
The UEA: e.g. most of the daily communication at home, at school, and in the street; some radio serials and local radio stations developed for the upper Egyptian communities, some TV movies, informal interviews and local TV channels developed for the upper Egyptian communities.
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