Modern Standard Arabic and The Iraqi Arabic Dialect: Prestige and Differences In Lexicon

Modern Standard Arabic and The Iraqi Arabic Dialect: Prestige and Differences In Lexicon

Ahmed Alaboosi

The Arabic language encompasses many different dialects, but the Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) variety is the language that is shared among the Middle Eastern Arabic speaking countries. Every Arabic-speaking country uses its own coined dialect but manages to keep MSA as their default language, though it is not used in informal daily conversation. There are certain settings that either of the varieties are used in, and there are differences in the lexicon between both varieties. Diglossic languages like Arabic face serious challenges like teaching and learning the language, especially when learned at an older age. The linguistic differences between both varieties of the language and the settings that they are used to raise the issue of intelligibility and usage in conversation. There is a long history of the use of Modern Standard Arabic and the formation of dialects among Arab countries. This study discusses diglossia, its challenges, and the differences between the lexicon of the Iraqi colloquial dialect and the Modern Standard Arabic varieties of the Arabic language. The research addresses what the sociolinguistic lexical differences are between Modern Standard Arabic and Iraqi colloquial Arabic and in what context and setting either of them is relevant, especially in the aspect of prestige. The research uses a comparative study of the Iraqi colloquial dialect and the Modern Standard Arabic variety of the Arabic language and how they can be used in different settings and contexts. A sociolinguistic side of the research identifies any differences in using either variety among different genders, age groups, religions, politics, or geographical locations within the country of Iraq.