The Impact of Colloquial Arabic Dialects on Modern Standard Arabic through Social Media

Abstract

This study explores the influence of Arabic colloquial dialects on Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) as manifested across social media platforms. Using both descriptive-analytical and inductive methods, the research investigates how the increasing reliance on digital communication has accelerated the dominance of spoken dialects over the standardized written form. The paper is organized into a Preface and two main Sections. The Preface outlines the significance of the topic, the research questions, objectives, previous studies, and the adopted methodology. Section One discusses the factors that contribute to the widespread presence of colloquial dialects on social media, such as the availability of smart devices and the absence of linguistic supervision. Section Two examines the various ways in which colloquial usage affects MSA in digital spaces. The findings reveal that the freedom offered by social media encourages users to communicate without linguistic constraints, leading to the increased use of dialects in contexts where MSA should dominate. This shift poses risks to the status of MSA, contributing to its weakening, limited usage, and decline on the global linguistic scale. The study concludes with recommendations aimed at promoting proper linguistic practices and preserving MSA in digital communication.