The Pragmatic Functions of Using the Expression Mayyɪt ‘Dead’ in Jordanian Spoken Arabic

Abstract

This study investigates the discourse analysis and the pragmatic functions of the expression mayyɪt (lit.: dead) and how students interpret it in Jordanian Spoken Arabic (JSA). It focuses on the intended meaning of using the expression mayyɪt in daily conversations among Jordanians. Data were collected from 72 undergraduate Jordanian students. The results of the study show that the connotative meaning dominates all the expressions explained in this study. None of the participants interpreted a single expression according to its lexical meaning alone. The results also reveal that the expression mayyɪt is used to serve 16 different pragmatic functions. However, the analysis shows that the expression mayyɪt is often used negatively in JSA; three functions are used positively, while the other functions of the expression are used negatively. This kind of knowledge can significantly benefit learners of JSA as a foreign language, without which learners may encounter some communication difficulties.