Evidence of Variable Gender Role in Defining Language Change Leadership in Syrian Arabic

This study aims to present evidence of gender variability among leaders language change across different sociolinguistic variables, five phonological variables (a consonant and four vowels) a discourse variable in Syrian Arabic, within the same speech community. Employing variationist approach comparing children adults yielded gendered linguistic behavior. Children show dramatic difference as regarding (q), with males using much more rural (q) than urban (ʔ) females. Regarding vowel dramatize their adults; boys higher use vowels girls compared between men women. pattern is reversed (yaʕni) ‘that is/I mean’; it children, effect diminishes distribution variable. multidirectionality effects bears implications for research. Variables indexed refinement/prestige social meanings such femininity/masculinity are likely be led by females males. Conversely, that lack these types social/gender identification indexicality, regardless whether they or discursive, do not follow leadership..