1887
Volume 1 Number 2
  • ISSN 2950-1806
  • E-ISSN: 2950-1792
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Abstract

Abstract

Egyptian Arabic contains a semantically bleached verb whose functions have been thoroughly studied and identified; however, the motivation for its use remains unclear. Current theories about its motivations have resulted in a long list of seemingly disparate functions which cannot explain its high frequency within narratives or its occurrence outside of them. The theory of foregrounding offers a possible motivation for ’s pattern of use. Identifying as a foregrounding device would require that its use either violate a grammatical rule or deviate from the norm. I will argue the latter by presenting corpus-based data which suggests that ’s frequency is uncommon in narratives when compared to its use in daily Egyptian speech. The data will also show that ’s frequency in narratives is not such that it has become the norm.

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2026-02-27
2026-03-17
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): Egyptian Arabic; foregrounding; narratives
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