Shifting shades: a sociolinguistic analysis of color naming in Jordan across generations and genders

This study explores differences in color naming among male and female Jordanian Arabic-speaking participants aged 18 to 70, within the framework of language variation and change. Using an unconstrained color naming task (UCN), 195 participants from West Amman typed in descriptions of 15 color samples presented individually on a portable computer screen. A total of 2,342 responses were categorized into six groups. We found a significant impact of age and gender: younger individuals used nuanced color descriptions more often than their older counterparts, and younger females did so more often than their male counterparts. Moreover, younger females used color terms from Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) more often than their male counterparts, representing a shift from the previously established connection between MSA and males’ speech. The dynamic urban life of Amman, rapid capital urbanization, and growing cultural diversity are shaping novel ways of expressing color terms. These linguistic changes are chiefly noticed among the younger generation, suggesting a case of language change. While young people may project an urban character through use of nuanced color descriptions, borrowings, or color terms from MSA, females seem to employ these linguistic resources to signal group membership.