Papers by Mohammad A . N . Alenezi
The present work offers insights into lexical aspects of this emerging variety to systematically ... more The present work offers insights into lexical aspects of this emerging variety to systematically look into neologisms in Kuwaiti English (KE) using corpus linguistics methods and techniques. Such research results in a deeper understanding of lexical development, productivity, and creativity in the variety under scrutiny, as well as how reciprocal lexical influences develop within a variety (Anesa 3). The study focuses on a written corpus of 337,102 words to see whether or not written English-language texts in Kuwait can provide sufficient data worthy of further exploration. The current project in broad strokes focuses on (i) local neologisms and (ii) L2 neologisms. To flesh out the latter, namely suffixation, compounding, and borrowing, a predetermined list, wildcards, and corpus query language (CQL) were used. For the former, keyness analysis was used, and it was found that this technique provided more insight into indigenous words than suffixation, compounding, predetermined lists, wildcards, and CQL, all of which did not reveal sufficient evidence of neologisms in KE. Overall, keyness analysis was the most successful method in uncovering neologisms in the corpus. As the data indicate, the most productive features of KE seem to be those that are related to culture or religion. It could identify words that were not detected by the other methods. Moreover, more research should be done on more types of neologisms, such as blends, in order to obtain a better understanding of the use of English in Kuwait. According to the study, neologisms are used because they are practical, culturally influenced, and socially acceptable. Additionally, KE neologisms are mainly the result of semantic change, such as semantic restriction. Research on neologisms, especially geared towards understanding cultural or religious concepts incorporated within a variety, seems to be best examined using keyness analysis as it highlights such terms and concepts effectively.
In the context of the emergence and development of varieties of English around the globe, this pa... more In the context of the emergence and development of varieties of English around the globe, this paper focuses on Kuwait, where the use of English has greatly increased since the mid-20th century. Drawing on the principles of nativisation and indigenisation, I investigate substrate- and superstrate-derived discourse-pragmatic markers (DPMs) in Kuwaiti English: the Arabic loanwords alhamdulillah and ya'ni and their English equivalents (e.g. I mean and thankfully). Data are drawn from the Kuwaiti English National Corpus, a spoken corpus of almost 800,000 words containing interviews, samples of situated language use, and mediated data (podcasts, TV, radio and YouTube). Keyness and concordance analyses were performed to identify the frequency and functions of the DPMs in Kuwaiti English compared to reference corpora of British and American English. The analysis also takes into account contextual and sociolinguistic information such as the speakers’ social identity. Results show that the Arabic-derived DPMs are abundant in both formal and informal settings, indicating that they have become an integral part of this variety of English. Their English equivalents perform similar roles, but are vastly less common (with the exception of I mean for ya'ni). Both the Arabic- and English-based markers show somewhat narrowed discourse-pragmatic functions and are more likely to be placed in clause-initial position than in ‘native’ contexts. Their use appears to be linked to the social identity of the speakers.
The overarching aim of this thesis is to delineate the place of English in Kuwait using Schneider... more The overarching aim of this thesis is to delineate the place of English in Kuwait using Schneider’s (2003; 2007) Dynamic Model. The model posits that postcolonial varieties of English go through five phases: Foundation, Exonormative Stabilisation, Nativisation, Endonormative Stabilisation and Differentiation. Each phase is assessed on the basis of four parameters (historical factors, sociolinguistic features, identity construction and linguistic features) and types of data that allow each parameter to be properly investigated. The historical parameter entails investigating, on the basis of historical data, the arrival and local history of English and other low- and high-intensity contact periods. Sociolinguistic factors entail investigating norms, beliefs, local identity formation processes and the position and role of English in the linguistic contexts from the first contact until the present. The last parameter entails analysing a corpus of samples of actual language use. The levels of analysis are incorporated in my study: a) historical analysis (desk research) to assess the historical parameter, b) corpus-assisted discourse analysis (CDA) largely based on Edwards (2018) to explore the sociolinguistic factors and identity constructions parameters and c) pattern-driven analysis (PDA) (Tyrkk¿ & Kopaczyk, 2018) to assess the linguistic parameter. As for CDA, it analyses the interview subcorpus to explore a) the beliefs about English in Kuwait and the identities it indexes and b) the norms of the English language. Pattern-driven analysis sets to flesh out the linguistic specificities and developments of Kuwaiti English. That is, it identifies distinctive features of English in Kuwait: analysis of word distributions, functions, and meanings of selected linguistic features. To systematically arrive at the analysis of the best linguistic features, I made use of a widely known corpus linguistic methodology in terminology known as "knowledge-rich contexts" (Meyer, 2001) and contextualised it within World Englishes. Accordingly, after conducting four case studies (structural and lexical), pragmatic features (i.e. discourse-pragmatic markers) turned out to be the most salient and thus the ones investigated. The main findings that emerged from the analysis are as follows: Historical facts do not provide clear evidence for indigenisation. Nevertheless, they suggest nativisation is progressing slowly as metropolitan English models keep reasserting themselves through education and media. This parameter suggests that English in Kuwait is somewhere between the second stage and the third stage of the Dynamic Model. On the sociolinguistic end, investigation of language ideological matters and usage patterns suggest a faster rate of nativisation as many younger Kuwaitis who are in great numbers educated through English are currently not only speaking English to expats and non-Arabic speakers but also among themselves in certain contexts such as at home between siblings. This is a fertile ground for the emergence of an indigenised variety or a stage four state. Linguistic facts suggest that English became an important learning target after the Iraqi invasion and due to sustained and increasing use has started to indigenise, in that it is acquiring a unique bundle of features. The analysis of linguistic features suggests that Kuwaiti English is placed between stage 2 and stage 3, as the investigated features (discourse-pragmatic markers), be they superstrate- or substrate-derived components, exhibit patterns distinct from British English and American English.
This study explores the speech act of apology generally and the apologetic strategies used by stu... more This study explores the speech act of apology generally and the apologetic strategies used by students at Kuwait University in particular. The study examines two groups: graduates from private schools (British and American systems; taught mainly in English) and graduates from governmental schools (taught mainly in Arabic.) Ten situations were adopted for the discourse completion task (DCT) with the core objective of determining which group has greater access to the full range of apologetic strategies. The results indicate that the students who graduated from private schools have greater access than their governmental counterparts. They, hence, exhibit greater culture awareness of the English language. Interestingly, the results show that the students who graduated from governmental schools were the only students who invoked the name of Allah (God) in their apologetic responses.
Books by Mohammad A . N . Alenezi
Alenezi, M. A. N. (2018). The Unabridged Thesaurus of the Shammeri and Enezi Tribes in Kuwait (Ar... more Alenezi, M. A. N. (2018). The Unabridged Thesaurus of the Shammeri and Enezi Tribes in Kuwait (Arabic – Arabic – English). Aafaq Press, Kuwait.
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Papers by Mohammad A . N . Alenezi
Books by Mohammad A . N . Alenezi