Linguistic Functions of fii/m aafii in Hejaz Gulf Pidgin Arabic

2014
المجلد الأول
العدد الأول
مجلة العلوم الإنسانية

This paper is a contribution to determine the functions of the syntactic device f ii (there is) and its negative counterpart m aafii (there isn’t) in its various forms as it is used in Hejaz Gulf Pidgin Arabic (Hejaz GPA). Beside its basic functions as a preposition and an existential element, it is used as a syntactic device to achieve predication, modality, negation and interrogative. Moreover,  fii / maafii is found to display a variety of functions in the Hejaz GPA system. The negative variety m aafii is one example, where it is substituted by the negative devices m aa and laa quite often; the f ii / maafii disappears where expected and informants from Africa use this device minimally. Theysubstitute the device with syntactic techniques which are borrowed from the lexifier Hejaz Arabic and thusmodify Hejaz GPA. Those and other users of Hejaz GPA who have lived long in Hejaz have perceived at a certain structural and aspectual stage other functional devices whichare subconsciously assimilated and used by those speakers. Beside this, the discussion concludes that the characteristic displayed features are in congruence with those in the related literature, and that HejazPGA speakers follow conventionalized norms, albeit with some inconsistency.

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