Misrata dialect: a socio-phonological perspective

Abstract

The Libyan Arabic variety spoken in the city of Misrata, Libya, is witnessing noticeable phonological changes. For instance, disfavoured CCC sequences in onset position are beginning to show up. Epenthetic vowels are less frequently heard, rendering the words one syllable less. Moreover, vowel qualities of some words are undergoing change, e.g. minu → mini, ʕaleeʃ → ʕlaaʃ. In addition, the moraic structures of some vowels are being affected. Thus, an otherwise monomoraic vowel may end up bimoraic, as in ʔamta → ʔaamta. Likewise, some assimilatory processes are less frequently heard. Finally, some lexical items are being replaced. Within a socio-phonological framework, this paper aims to highlight these changes, all of which result from the fact that some speakers of the dialect no longer use it and opt for Tripolitania Arabic instead.