Ebtehal Ali A Asiry
University of Glasgow
Investigating Phonological Variation and Change in Leicester
Sociolinguistic research on ethnic communities in the UK has noticeably developed in
the last thirty years. While some work has considered ethnicity as the main source of
diversity (e.g., Rampton 1995), more recent studies have examined the impact of an
individual's social and stylistic practice on their linguistic behaviour within and across ethnic
groups (e.g., Alam 2015; Kirkham 2013). The literature has been largely concentrated on
South-Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities that have come to the UK through similar
channels of migration. Because of this, little attention has been given to other possible
sources of sociolinguistic diversity, both across and within ethnic minority communities, such
as migration routes and experience, which can be as varied and significant as ethnicity
according to Vertovec (2007).
The Iraqi-Arab community in the UK exhibits waves of migration, with various
migration routes to different locations. This talk is part of an on-going study that investigates
phonological variation within forcibly displaced (refugee) and professional Iraqi-Arab
migrants, who despite commonalities, are socioeconomically and demographically stratified.
In this talk, I will present patterns of language use within first-generation Iraqi-Arab English
speakers living in London and Glasgow, and stratified by migration experience, gender and
length of residence. I also present patterns of similarity and difference in the production of
English laterals (e.g., /l/ in let), which are known to be produced differently in English and
Arabic as well as in London and Glasgow English accents. Results of the analysis will be
further explored with reference to the social behaviour of each group (Acculturation attitudes,
social networks, senses of identity etc.)