Multifunctional Markers in a Contact Situation : Bass and ġayr in and between Arabic and Berber

Title data

Schiattarella, Valentina ; Serreli, Valentina:
Multifunctional Markers in a Contact Situation : Bass and ġayr in and between Arabic and Berber.
In: Journal of Language Contact. Vol. 17 (2024) Issue 4 . - 795 - 844.
ISSN 1955-2629
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/19552629-01704007

Official URL:

Abstract in another language

This paper presents a synchronic analysis of two items – bass and ġayr – in Siwi Berber and Arabic L2 spoken in the Siwa Oasis (Egypt). Despite their different etymologies, both items have followed a similar grammaticalization path, going from focus particles to contrastive conjunctions and, in turn, to discourse markers. These three functions are attested in the synchronic stage of both languages under study as well as in other Berber and Arabic varieties. After a general overview of the distribution and functions of bass and ġayr in Arabic and Berber languages, data on Siwi and Arabic L2 are discussed in a comparative fashion. This study shows that the use of bass and ġayr in the two languages largely overlaps, confirms the layered influence of Arabic on Siwi on a diachronic level, and demonstrates the increasing presence of Egyptian Arabic and its dominance over other Arabic varieties in the present day.

Further data

Item Type:	Article in a journal
Refereed:	Yes
Institutions of the University:	Faculties > Faculty of Languages and Literature > Junior Professor Arabic Studies > Junior Professor Arabic Studies - Juniorprof. Dr. Valentina Serreli
Result of work at the UBT:	Yes
DDC Subjects:	400 Language > 410 Linguistics 400 Language > 490 Other languages
Date Deposited:	04 Feb 2025 08:10
Last Modified:	04 Feb 2025 08:10
URI:	https://eref.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/92265