Perceptions of Arabic Language Teaching Students Regarding Modern Standard Arabic and Arabic Dialects: A Metaphor Analysis

Year 2025, Volume: 40 Issue: 4, 295 - 305, 31.10.2025

İlknur Emekli , Abdullah Yeşilyurt

https://doi.org/10.16986/hunefd.1705133

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of metaphor analysis to understand the perspectives of students in Arabic Language Education regarding Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Arabic dialects. The study included 49 students enrolled in the Arabic language instruction program at Adıyaman University, employing the phenomenological method, a qualitative research strategy. Participants were directed to construct metaphors that depict MSA and Arabic dialects, and the justification for these metaphors was meticulously analyzed. The content analysis revealed that students perceived MSA as pure, orderly, universal, and challenging, while they linked Arabic dialects with diversity, complexity, socio-cultural connections, and profound meaning. The metaphors produced for MSA, such as "clean water," "mathematics," and "book," indicate that students perceive MSA as a structured, methodical, and academic language. In contrast, dialects were defined by metaphors such as "tree branches," "mosaic," and "soup," emphasizing their organic, multidimensional, and diverse nature. These metaphorical representations indicate that students regard MSA more formal but less practical for everyday use, while dialects are perceived as intimately connected to local and cultural settings, despite their lack of precise norms and greater learning challenges. The findings indicate that students of Arabic Language Education regard MSA as a more formal, structured, and universal means of communication; nonetheless, they encounter difficulties in understanding it. Conversely, although dialects are perceived as more adaptable, contextually pertinent, and practical for daily communication, their absence of established regulations and regional discrepancies renders them a tough domain for students to master. This study highlights the necessity for diverse teaching methods in the instruction of both MSA and Arabic dialects in the realm of Arabic Language Education. Educators are recommended to include students' ideas about these two language varieties into instructional activities to develop a more balanced and comprehensive educational framework.

Keywords

Metaphor , metaphor analysis , modern standard Arabic , Arabic dialects

Ethical Statement

Ethical permission was approved by the ethics committee of Adıyaman University in Adıyaman, Türkiye and the ethical permission date and number is 23/12/2024-166.

Supporting Institution

Bulunmamaktadır.

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