المستخلص: |
The usage of particles in Abha dialect, which is spoken in southwest Saudi Arabia, is changing rapidly as a result of greater access of the new generation to education and communication. Many conjunctions seem to be in danger of being lost forever. As part of an investigation into the presence of conjunctions in Abha dialect, a total of 80 native speakers of the dialect, randomly selected, have been asked to complete a questionnaire with the objective of tracing shifts and patterns in the usage of conjunctions. The questionnaire consisted of two sections covering the use of conjunction in sentences based on scenarios. The participants were asked to choose the sentence they use regularly. The results showed that there is a kind of levelling of usage which is shown in the low rate of using some conjunctions for others. The use of conjunctions in Abha dialect varies between the older and younger generations and also between educated and uneducated speakers. This variation implies that the conjunctions preferred by the older generation will fall into disuse and may be lost completely in the coming years. This is particularly evident where there is more than one particle with the same sense and function.
|