This book is the very first comprehensive description of the Arabic variety spoken in the South-Western Iranian province of Khuzestan. It contains a detailed description of its phonology and morphology with numerous examples and a collection of authentic texts presented in transcription with an English translation. The author uses a corpus-based method for the grammatical analysis relying on original data collected during fieldwork in Khuzestan as well as among other Khuzestani Arab communities in Kuwait and Austria. The introduction and text collection offer the reader insights into Khuzestani Arab culture and traditions. The book highlights the peripheral character of Khuzestani Arabic spoken as a minority dialect in Iran and isolated from influence by both Standard Arabic and regional prestige varieties. It also provides an in-depth description of the linguistic development of Ahvaz, Khuzestan’s capital city.
Bettina Leitner studied Arabic Linguistics at the University of Vienna, where she completed her Ph.D. in 2020. She currently holds a post-doc position at the University of Vienna and published on several Arabic minority varieties spoken in Iran and on Iraqi Arabic.
Acknowledgements List of Tables, Maps and Figures Abbreviations
Part 1 Introduction and General Classification of Khuzestani Arabic
1 Introduction
1.1 Area
1.2 History of Arabs and Arab Tribes in Khuzestan
1.3 Current Situation of the Arabs and of Arabic in Iran
1.4 Khuzestani Arabic and Cognate gələt-Type Arabic Dialects
1.5 Data, Methodology, Organization
2 General Classification and Internal Subdivisions of Khuzestani Arabic (KhA)
2.1 Classification of KhA—The Position of KhA among the Mesopotamian Arabic Dialects
2.2 Internal Subdivisions of KhA
2.3 Conclusion
2.4 Illustrations
The book is conceptualized as a reference grammar and directed primarily at an academic audience. It is useful for students and senior researchers of Arabic and Semitic studies as well as Linguistics in general.