A War of Words: Language and Conflict in the Middle East (Cambridge Middle East Studies) Review

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A War of Words: Language and Conflict in the Middle East (Cambridge Middle East Studies) ReviewIn the introduction of A War of Words, Yasir Suleiman presents the "second volume of his study of language and society in the Arab world", centering on language and political conflict (1). Yasir explains that he has "paid special attention to the rhetoric of linguistic conflict and to the role of language as a symbol in society" (1). Throughout his study, Suleiman accomplishes what he sets out to do by describing the relation between language and conflict using conflict between dialects, conflict between Arabic and other languages, and finally, between dialect and Standard Arabic.
In the third chapter of his book, Suleiman uses Egypt as an area of study to reveal the conflict between Standard Arabic and the colloquial Egyptian Arabic. Suleiman explained that there was a push for the documentation of the dialect, which gained much resistance (3). The documentation and standardization of Egyptian dialect over Standard Arabic was argued to have the beneficial outcome of uniting the Egyptian people in the work place and other areas of human communication where Standard Arabic was typically used (3). This push against the use of Standard Arabic was seen as going against Islam as Standard Arabic was viewed as having a direct connection to the divine text in the Quran, which where the words that God spoke (3). The push for dialect was also seen as European intervention (3), as Suleiman explained that there have been instances where Europeans would undermine Standard Arabic due to the great importance it held in terms of unity to Arabs and Muslims whom it helped shape their identify, as Suleiman reveals in the second chapter (2). While the conflict may have not been played out with physical force, several have been threatened, criticized and even ostracized for their support of the dialects (3).
In Chapter 4, Suleiman points to Jordan as a site for conflict between different dialects. Suleiman first reveals the existence of the three variant dialects, [g], [q] and [?], as well as how they are traditionally use (4). Suleiman then summarizes the history of Jordan and the influx of Palestinian refugees (4). Through several studies, he reveals that men who used the [?] dialect, which was traditionally used by Palestinians, were viewed as "urban, and on the negative side as sissy, effeminate and `city-slick' " (4). Suleiman also uses the example of the ethnolinguistic label beljiki that the Jordanians used to label the Palestinians as the "others" (4). Through language use, the Jordanians separated themselves from Palestinians (4).
The final linguistic conflict Suleiman mentions is conveyed in his example of the role of language in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In Israel, Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories were referred to as neighborhoods to avoid negative connotation (5). Furthermore, the practice of renaming existing streets with Hebrew names revealed how in this conflict, Israel had the power over the Palestinians (5). This point is best revealed in Suleiman's study of street signs over the years from before the creation of the Israeli state to the present (5). One of the first examples Suleiman uses is a sign that is composed of English and Arabic, with no trace of Hebrew (5). However, after the creation of Israel, Hebrew showed up on signs as a third language, with Arabic still being dominant in placement (5). As the time passed, Hebrew became more important as made evident in the dissolving grammatical structures of Arabic in signs (5). In some signs, Arabic was completely disregarded (5). Although these examples mainly point out the shift in power between Israel, Palestine, and their respective languages, the fact that Palestinians resist so strongly to the Hebrew labeling reveals the conflict between both people (5).
Using examples of the three various types conflicts, Suleiman reveals the relation between language and conflict in the Middle East, accomplishing his goals stated in the introduction of A War of Words. One of the best examples Suleiman gives, but does not dwell too heavily on is the importance in language during the Lebanese civil war, where he reveals that talking in a different dialect or language could have meant the "difference between life and death" (1).
Bibliography
1. Suleiman, Yasir. "Introduction." A War of Words. 1-6. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
2. Suleiman, Yasir. "Language, power and conflict in the middle East." A War of Words. 7-57. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
3. Suleiman, Yasir. "When Language and dialects collide: Standard Arabic and its `opponents'." A War of Words. 58-95. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
4. Suleiman, Yasir. "When dialects collide: language and conflict in Jordan." A War of Words. 96-136. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
5. Suleiman, Yasir. "When languages collide: language and conflict in Palestine and Israel." A War of Words. 137-217. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
A War of Words: Language and Conflict in the Middle East (Cambridge Middle East Studies) OverviewYasir Suleiman considers national identity in relation to language, the way in which language can be manipulated to signal political, cultural or historical difference. As a language with a long-recorded heritage spoken by the majority of peoples in the Middle East, Arabic is a particularly appropriate language to study and provides a penetrating means of exploring the conflicts of the Middle East.

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