Categories: linguistics
Date: 08 March 2009 23:52:38
A fascinating article in today's Sydney Morning Herald on Lebanese-Australian English, the latest ethnic dialect to be looked at here:
Migration patterns, especially over the past 30 years, have seen Lebanon account for two out of every five Australian migrants from the Middle East. In the last census, 72.8 per cent of those born in Lebanon called Sydney home, and in NSW more than 114,000 people can trace their immediate Lebanese ancestry.
...
Welcome to Lebanese-Australian English - English with Arabic flavourings. "Shoo" is "what's up?", "yallah" is "let's go/goodbye" and "habib", Arabic for "darling", is almost "mate". As one Lebanese man explains, "habib and mate differ" because "mate is like a friend, just to make fun with them. But with the term 'habib' when you're talking to him, is like a serious talk."
The article also hears from a three people [from Arabic, Chinese and Greek backgrounds] on how English is unqiuely used in their communities.
Thanks also for the prayers and wishes; I was feeling much better today, though still feeling rather drained. Onwards and upwards, though: God willing!