A Variationist-Sociolinguistic Analysis of the Plural System in the Upper Egyptian Dialect: Evidence from the Al-Ḍawʾ Al-Shārid series

This study presents a variationist sociolinguistic analysis of the plural system in the Upper Egyptian (Ṣaʿīdī) dialect as represented in the television series Al-Ḍawʾ Al-Shārid (“The Stray Light”). It investigates how plural forms vary across different social groups and how these variations reflect broader patterns of social identity and stratification within the Upper Egyptian speech community. The study aims to determine the extent to which social variables—namely, gender, age, social class, and educational level—influence speakers’ linguistic behavior. The data were collected through detailed observation of scripted dialogues from Al-Ḍawʾ Al-Shārid, which is set in Qena Governorate, indicating that the linguistic phenomenon under investigation is situated within the Qena speech community. The research employs both qualitative and quantitative approaches to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon, combining interpretive analysis of the sociolinguistic context with statistical examination of linguistic distribution and frequency. The main analytical tool is variationist sociolinguistic analysis supported by indirect observation. The findings reveal that plural variation in the Upper Egyptian dialect is not random but socially patterned, reflecting the dynamic interplay between language use and social identity in Upper Egypt and contributing to a deeper understanding of Arabic dialectal diversity.