The nature of this study is to investigate the socio-cultural rules that govern address usage in daily conversation in Mosuli Arabic within family members. A socio-pragmatic approach is adopted in this study and by using semi-structured interviews to collect data from 80 participants in English Department, College of Education for Humanities, University of Mosul. The selection of the participants is done through four variables namely: age, gender, educational status and marital status. In this study, two theoretical framework are selected as a model of analysis namely the communication accommodation theory and the power and solidarity theory of Brown and Gilman. The study finds that the age and family status are the most effective determiners of address choice in Mosul society.
Language is the main way for exchanging information and knowledge. In addition, it shows individuals’ identities, cultures, relationships and preferences to become closer or distant from each other. The way people open and end conversation, and address one another in a given situation are significant in the study of communication. Address forms are not neutral in communication. They convey attitudes and feelings; the choice of these terms is based on the way interlocutors evaluate communication situation. The choice of address terms reveals the social relationship between the addresser and the addressee. Meanwhile, it represents the social characteristics of speaker. Every time one person speaks to another, there is created a host of options centering around whether and how persons will be addressed or named. By now, still there are many unanswered questions about address terms, since address terms are as complicated as the society itself. The main issues are how people address each other and how distinct forms like personal names, family names, pronouns, titles, nicknames are used to address.
Table of Contents
1. Addressing father and mother.
2. Addressing brothers and sisters.
3. Addressing paternal and maternal uncle
4. Addressing paternal and maternal aunt
5. Addressing grandfathers and grandmothers
6. Addressing stepfather and stepmother
7. Addressing brother in law and sister in law
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary aim of this study is to investigate the socio-cultural rules and interpersonal relationships that dictate the usage of specific address forms among family members within the Mosuli Arabic dialect, utilizing a socio-pragmatic approach.
- Analysis of socio-pragmatic address variations within family contexts.
- Application of the Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) to explain linguistic adjustments.
- Exploration of the power and solidarity dimensions in kinship terminology.
- Examination of social variables including age, gender, and status on address choices.
- Identification of communicative functions of distinct address forms.
Extract from the book
Addressing paternal and maternal uncle
As for addressing a paternal uncle, the results indicate that 76.25% of the participants use the term "ammo" (uncle) or its variety to address their uncles, 5% use the term uncle+ first name, 3.75% use the term uncle+ teknonym, 1.25% use the term "ja:b"( my father),1.25% use nicknames, 7.5% don’t use any term at all because they don’t have uncles and 5% use the first name (See Table 8).
As for addressing the maternal uncle, the results indicate that 81.25% of the participants use the kinship "khalu:"(maternal uncle) or its varieties, 8.75% use the first name, 2.5% use a kinship term+ first name, 3.75% don’t use any term at all because they don’t have uncles at all, 1.25% use nicknames, 1.25% use teknonyms and 1.25% use the title "hadgi:" (pilgrim) to address their uncles(See Table 9).
Within CAT framework, the use of the kinship terms, kinship terms+ first name, kinship terms+ teknonyms, the term "ja:b" (father), and teknonyms is an upward convergence, while the use of the first name, or nickname is an attempt to converge downward. CAT's goal is to seek others' approval by moving towards where people are being more communicative (Giles, 2016:48).
Chapter Summary
1. Addressing father and mother: This chapter presents the findings regarding how participants address their parents, highlighting the dominance of kinship terms as a reflection of respect and power dynamics.
2. Addressing brothers and sisters: This section details the usage of first names and nicknames among siblings, framing these choices within the theories of closeness and solidarity.
3. Addressing paternal and maternal uncle: This chapter analyzes how nephews and nieces address their uncles, emphasizing that kinship terms are the most frequent form used to maintain social distance and respect.
4. Addressing paternal and maternal aunt: The results here indicate a heavy reliance on specific kinship terms for aunts, with some variations occurring when the interlocutors perceive a more friend-like relationship.
5. Addressing grandfathers and grandmothers: This chapter discusses the veneration of grandparents, showing how terms of address reflect the high status of the eldest members in the family hierarchy.
6. Addressing stepfather and stepmother: This section investigates the divergence in address forms for step-parents, noting that these relationships often lack the intergroup closeness found with biological parents.
7. Addressing brother in law and sister in law: The final analytical chapter covers address patterns among in-laws, focusing on the blend of respect via teknonyms and solidarity via first names.
Keywords
Mosuli Arabic, Address forms, Socio-pragmatics, Communication Accommodation Theory, Power and Solidarity, Kinship terms, Teknonyms, Interpersonal relationships, Sociolinguistics, Family communication, Linguistic convergence, Social distance, Cultural norms, Address usage, Age variables.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The study investigates the socio-cultural rules and linguistic choices that govern how family members in Mosul address one another in daily conversation.
Which theoretical frameworks are applied?
The research primarily utilizes Howard Giles's Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) and the Power and Solidarity theory proposed by Brown and Gilman.
What is the main goal of the study?
The aim is to identify the different forms of address used by Mosuli speakers and explain their communicative functions within the family unit.
What methodology was used for data collection?
The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 80 participants from the University of Mosul to collect data on address usage.
What are the key variables influencing address choice?
The study highlights age, gender, educational status, and marital status as critical factors determining how individuals choose to address their relatives.
Which address patterns are most prevalent?
The study finds that kinship terms remain the most prevalent way to address family members, signaling respect and seniority.
How does the Communication Accommodation Theory explain the findings?
CAT suggests that speakers use different address forms to either converge upward (showing respect) or downward (establishing solidarity/friendship) based on the social context of the interaction.
Does the use of "zero terms" signify anything specific?
Yes, the use of "zero terms"—or not using an address term at all—is often linked to the absence of a relative, such as when a parent is deceased or the speaker is the youngest in the family.
How do the findings for step-parents differ from biological parents?
The study indicates that address forms for step-parents reflect a different interpersonal dynamic, often showing signs of non-accommodation or divergence compared to the established kinship patterns for biological parents.
Why are female nicknames often handled differently?
The research notes a tendency for female nicknames to be reserved for private family use, whereas male nicknames are often more "public" and available for outsiders.
- Citation du texte
- Kamal Hussein (Auteur), 2018, Forms of Address in Mosuli Arabic, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/436967
