|  | | Mohd Nour Al Salem, Eman Ali & Imran Alrashdan | Dirasat: Human and Social Sciences | | This paper analyzes the use of bird names in describing people in Arabic and English. Specifically, the study aims to find the frequency of using such terms in the two languages and the extent to which the gender of the addressee affects their use. The participants are 24 native speakers of American and British English and 24 native speakers of Jordanian Arabic. The data were gathered using a questionnaire that contains 29 bird names and has two versions: one in Arabic and another in English. The findings revealed that there are no differences between the two languages in terms of the overall frequency of using bird names in describing people. However, the Jordanian participants are found to be more gendersensitive in using the targeted bird names. The results also revealed that, in both languages, speakers tend to use bird names to transfer aspects of character more frequently than referring to facets of intelligence and physical appearance. | 2021 |
| | | Mohd Nour Al Salem, Imran Alrashdan and Essa Salem | Jordan Journal of Modern Languages and Literatures | | Animal names are commonly used in Jordanian Arabic (JA) and other dialects of Arabic to express embedded meanings, intentions and feelings. This study explores how native English speakers (NESs) conceptualise and translate animal names as figuratively used in JA into English. To this end, a questionnaire was distributed to53 NESs to find the most suitable translation into English, with a focus on the simile type acceptable in the Target Language (TL). The study classified the types of similes based on Abdul-Raof’s (2006) framework. The questionnaire included 10 situations in which animal names are used. The findings revealed that, unlike JA which accepts all three types of simile (see Abdul-Raof 2006) to address people using animal names, the most widely acceptable type of simile to NESs was the detailed one—in which both the simile feature and element are given. The single simile—in which only the simile element is given came second. The effective simile—in which both the simile feature and element are missing—was deemed almost unacceptable to most participating NESs. These findings implicate a difference between the two languages and their respective cultures in terms of translation of animal names, a finding that may be generalizable to the translation of other cultural aspects. | 2021 |
| | | Imran Alrashan, Essa Salem and Mohd Nour Al Salem | International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change | xxiii (6), 104-132 | This paper accounts for the complementary distribution found in Jordanian Arabic between the post-verbal negative enclitic –š and elements from two categories: (i) expressions used, prima facie, in oaths such as wħyaatabooy 'by my father' and (ii) Negative Sensitive Items (NSIs), particularly when they occur in a preverbal position. The study shows that these elements from the two categories have one characteristic in common, i.e. assertivity. The use of either category asserts the positive or negative value of the accompanying proposition. We argue that such assertive operators are similar in function to the post-verbal negative enclitic–š which is also assumed to have an assertive function. The account of the complementary distribution of either category with –š is that both compete for the same position (at LF), namely Assertive Projection (AssP). | 2020 |
| | | Marwan Jarrah, Sharif Alghazo and Mohd Nour Al Salem | Lingue e Linguaggio | XVIII (2), 291-317 | ABSTRACT: This research paper investigates the discourse functions of the whword ʃuː ‘what’ in Jordanian Arabic (JA). Based on the analysis of a naturally occurring corpus, it was found that ʃuː has developed a discourse function alongside its lexical uses as an interrogative operator, an exclamative particle, and a relativizer. Upon analyzing all tokens of ʃuː in the corpus, it is postulated that ʃuː functions as a D(ISCOURSE)-LINKER that essentially links questions to the previous discourse. This paper also provides a syntactic account of D-LINKER ʃuː, arguing that this marker is syntactically external to the accompanying utterance, as it is positioned in a projection that does not belong to the left periphery of the accompanying utterance. The paper provides evidence from JA that the syntactic position occupied by a given word is a key factor in deciding whether or not this word can be grammaticalized. It also shows that words which, syntactically speaking, move to the left periphery are normally subject to the grammaticalization process where discourse functions are syntactized. | 2019 |
| | | Mohd Nour Al Salem and Essa Salem | International Journal of Linguistics | 10 (2), 115-128. | This paper examines the difficulties involved in translating culture-bound compliments from spoken Jordanian Arabic into English in different cultural interactions. The study specifically looks into a number of compliments in Arabic and discusses their translation into English. To achieve this goal, a test was designed by the researchers to examine the translation of 10 compliments that are not familiar to the English language and culture, and these translations were examined with the help of a few native English-speaking colleagues to check their acceptability in stylistic terms. The sample of subjects included 20 female BA students at the University of Jordan; all of them are in their third year. The findings reveal that the participants adopted the techniques of literal translation, paraphrase, addition, and omission when translating culture-bound compliments. They also encountered difficulties relating to grammar, lexical choice, and collocation. | 2018 |
| | | Essa Salem and Mohd Nour Al Salem | Dirasat: Human and Social Sciences | 46 (1), 411-422 | This study examines the use of English attention-getting devices (words, catchphrases, and slogans) in Jordanian print advertising. Specifically, the study explores the functional and structural dimensions of such devices. To achieve this goal, a random sample comprising twelve issues of three local newspapers was selected. The issues were chosen to cover the period from 2014 - 2016. Ninety-six English attention-getting devices were identified for analysis. The findings of the study reveal that English attention-getting devices used in Jordanian advertising include single words, catchphrases, and slogans. In most cases, these elements are used as persuasive tools that seek to build a positive image of a product, rather than to convey propositional meaning. The findings also show that advertisers make a deliberate linguistic choice of stylistic devices to enhance the memorability of the product advertised. Such a creative use includes lexical, phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic aspects of language. | 2018 |
