Arabic Diglossia and Arab Nationalisms

This chapter examines the conception of Arabic diglossia as a linguistic-cum-sociopolitical problem in the ALA discourse and explores the reason behind the continuing reiteration of this conception therein. It identifies three discursive habiti viewing fuṣḥā and ʿāmmiyya as organisms, instruments and national symbols respectively. The first sees ʿāmmiyya as a set of imperfect, hybrid lineages of fuṣḥā but nonetheless still affirms the role of ʿāmmiyya in keeping Arabic alive; the split and the anticipated reunification of Arabic are correlated with the fragmentation and reunification of the Arab nation. The second understands fuṣḥā and ʿāmmiyya as tools of different qualities, values of utility and degrees of distribution in Arab society; the lack of integration between the two is believed to impede social cohesion and national solidarity. The third considers fuṣḥā a key element in uniting the Arab nation but is ambivalent towards the various ʿāmmiyyas as symbols of both the political fragmentation and the geographical and cultural diversity of the Arab nation. This chapter suggests that this discursive reiteration is due to a persistent feeling of instability and insecurity concerning state-cum-national identities among Arab intellectuals against the background of politically unrealised pan-Arabism and the rise and consolidation of modern Arab states.