On sociolinguistic aspects of hypocoristics in the Jordanian context

This study explores the sociolinguistic factors that contribute to the formation and functions of hypocoristics in a Jordanian Arabic-speaking community. Data were collected from three different Jordanian Arabic dialects: rural, urban and Bedouin, resulting in a total of 96 templates. The results reveal significant differences in using hypocoristic templates among the three dialects, plus a notable effect of the partici¬pants’ temperament when forming hypocoristics. It is concluded that Bedouin and rural linguistic resources tend to have a diversity of hypocoristics, a considerable number of which are orally inherited, particularly narrated by the elderly people, in comparison with urban people. Cross-linguistically, the same pattern emerges in both Bedouin and rural dialects, where people often tend to show a great deal of loyalty to their local values, traditions, and consequently linguistic forms as reflected in the case of endearments and hypocoristics. The results also show notable differences between males and females in terms of using hypocoristic forms, which supports the contro¬versial concept of ‘genderlect’.