A Documentation and Examination of the Dialects of the Dakhilyah Governorate in Oman

Oman has a wealth of linguistic resources as several languages are spoken in the area (Al-Balushi, 2016). The dominant language itself, which is Arabic, has different dialects that are spoken nationwide and that differ from each other phonologically, lexically and sometimes syntactically (Holes, 2011). However, there is a lack of research that documents these dialects of Arabic. The fact that the Omani society is undergoing rapid economic and thus social changes (Al-Gharibi, 2014) emphasizes the need for preserving and documenting the different dialects that are currently spoken before they are lost forever. As sociolinguists assert, urbanization and migration of populations from one dialect area to another leads to dialect change and the loss of some dialectal features (Chambers, 2002; Miller, 2007). Hence, this project aims to record spoken Omani dialects in the governorate of the Dakhilyah in Oman. Undertaking this task will lead to preserving the linguistic features of these dialects that have been present in Oman. This goal aligns with the vision and mission of the Omani government which is keen on preserving the Omani culture and heritage as evident from the establishment of the Ministry of Heritage in the 1970s. Language is undeniably one of the prominent aspects of the Omani culture and the carrier of its intangible heritage; therefore, documenting and preserving the varieties of Arabic spoken in Oman is a well-needed step and should become a priority given the rapid economic and social changes that the country has witnessed since the 1970s. This project will also help foster linguistic research on the different dialects that are spoken in the Dakhilyah Governorate. The obtained data will be used to provide description of the phonological features characterizing these dialects, and to carry out comparative studies that show the relation between the dialects of the Dakhilyah Governorate to each other. Moreover, comparative analyses will be conducted to juxtapose these dialects with other dialects in Oman or the Arab Gulf area. Additionally, data from this project can be used by other researchers who are interested in examining natural speech phenomena relating to morphology, lexicology and the syntax of Omani dialects as well as issues pertaining to aspects of discourse analysis, language variation and change, language attrition and language planning. This project will hence achieve a premier goal for the Omani government that aspires ?to preserve the genuine identity of Oman and to protect the correlation of its structure? (Ministry of Heritage and Culture, 2020). The investigation of the Dakhilyah dialects of Arabic will be carried out by a team of Omani researchers (MA and PhD students in humanities) as well as young Omani college and university students. The group will be recruited so as to give access to the diverse varieties of Arabic in the region from informants hailing from different areas in the Dakhilyah Governorate who belong to different gender, age and social backgrounds (e.g. education, types of occupation, lifestyle-sedentary vs. Bedouin etc.) so that the data will reflect past and present speech patterns and the diachronic change of the different dialects. Data will be collected using ethnographic methods including observation and recording sociolinguistic interviews designed to elicit spontaneous and casual speech. Additionally, data will include monitored speech elicited through a picture task (describing pictures/naming items in pictures). This triangulation of methods will help the researchers get as much data as possible and to examine speech elements in different linguistic and extra-linguistic environments. The data will be computed using related programs and software to present them in way that preserves the anonymity of the speakers. A team of assistants will be recruited to carry out the transcription of the data. This project does not only aspire to open the door for future linguistic research on Omani dialects, but it also prepares the team engaged in collecting the data and transcribing it to undertake their own research and apply the methods they learn from this project to their own studies (e.g. conducting interviews, recording, saving data electronically, maintaining anonymity of speakers etc.). Furthermore, as the process of data collection unfolds, team members- as well as audience-will come to appreciate the wealth of cultural and linguistic diversity that exist in Oman. The project will make significant contributions at the national level and beyond. Agencies interested in preserving and showcasing the Omani culture (e.g. Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, the National Museum etc.) could use the recorded data and findings as a reference for the linguistic national wealth and diversity that exists in Oman. Furthermore, analyses of the dialects that will be investigated could be referred to and used by other researchers in linguistics and relevant disciplines including anthropology, sociology, social history and cultural studies to promote research on those areas. Thus, this project could foster academic collaboration with institutions in the Arab Gulf and the Arab world in general as it would be a valuable resource for researchers and organizations interested in investigating aspects of historical dialects and those interested in carrying out comparative studies.

Oman has a wealth of linguistic resources as several languages are spoken in the area (Al-Balushi, 2016). The dominant language itself, which is Arabic, has different dialects that are spoken nationwide and that differ from each other phonologically, lexically and sometimes syntactically (Holes, 2011). However, there is a lack of research that documents these dialects of Arabic. The fact that the Omani society is undergoing rapid economic and thus social changes (Al-Gharibi, 2014) emphasizes the need for preserving and documenting the different dialects that are currently spoken before they are lost forever. As sociolinguists assert, urbanization and migration of populations from one dialect area to another leads to dialect change and the loss of some dialectal features (Chambers, 2002; Miller, 2007). Hence, this project aims to record spoken Omani dialects in the governorate of the Dakhilyah in Oman. Undertaking this task will lead to preserving the linguistic features of these dialects that have been present in Oman. This goal aligns with the vision and mission of the Omani government which is keen on preserving the Omani culture and heritage as evident from the establishment of the Ministry of Heritage in the 1970s. Language is undeniably one of the prominent aspects of the Omani culture and the carrier of its intangible heritage; therefore, documenting and preserving the varieties of Arabic spoken in Oman is a well-needed step and should become a priority given the rapid economic and social changes that the country has witnessed since the 1970s. This project will also help foster linguistic research on the different dialects that are spoken in the Dakhilyah Governorate. The obtained data will be used to provide description of the phonological features characterizing these dialects, and to carry out comparative studies that show the relation between the dialects of the Dakhilyah Governorate to each other. Moreover, comparative analyses will be conducted to juxtapose these dialects with other dialects in Oman or the Arab Gulf area. Additionally, data from this project can be used by other researchers who are interested in examining natural speech phenomena relating to morphology, lexicology and the syntax of Omani dialects as well as issues pertaining to aspects of discourse analysis, language variation and change, language attrition and language planning. This project will hence achieve a premier goal for the Omani government that aspires ?to preserve the genuine identity of Oman and to protect the correlation of its structure? (Ministry of Heritage and Culture, 2020). The investigation of the Dakhilyah dialects of Arabic will be carried out by a team of Omani researchers (MA and PhD students in humanities) as well as young Omani college and university students. The group will be recruited so as to give access to the diverse varieties of Arabic in the region from informants hailing from different areas in the Dakhilyah Governorate who belong to different gender, age and social backgrounds (e.g. education, types of occupation, lifestyle-sedentary vs. Bedouin etc.) so that the data will reflect past and present speech patterns and the diachronic change of the different dialects. Data will be collected using ethnographic methods including observation and recording sociolinguistic interviews designed to elicit spontaneous and casual speech. Additionally, data will include monitored speech elicited through a picture task (describing pictures/naming items in pictures). This triangulation of methods will help the researchers get as much data as possible and to examine speech elements in different linguistic and extra-linguistic environments. The data will be computed using related programs and software to present them in way that preserves the anonymity of the speakers. A team of assistants will be recruited to carry out the transcription of the data. This project does not only aspire to open the door for future linguistic research on Omani dialects, but it also prepares the team engaged in collecting the data and transcribing it to undertake their own research and apply the methods they learn from this project to their own studies (e.g. conducting interviews, recording, saving data electronically, maintaining anonymity of speakers etc.). Furthermore, as the process of data collection unfolds, team members- as well as audience-will come to appreciate the wealth of cultural and linguistic diversity that exist in Oman. The project will make significant contributions at the national level and beyond. Agencies interested in preserving and showcasing the Omani culture (e.g. Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, the National Museum etc.) could use the recorded data and findings as a reference for the linguistic national wealth and diversity that exists in Oman. Furthermore, analyses of the dialects that will be investigated could be referred to and used by other researchers in linguistics and relevant disciplines including anthropology, sociology, social history and cultural studies to promote research on those areas. Thus, this project could foster academic collaboration with institutions in the Arab Gulf and the Arab world in general as it would be a valuable resource for researchers and organizations interested in investigating aspects of historical dialects and those interested in carrying out comparative studies.