Multidialectal translanguaging: teacher dialects as interactional resources for supporting advanced MSA comprehension

This study examines how Arabic L2 teachers' multidialectal repertoires function as interactional resources to support advanced learners' comprehension of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). Drawing on two hours of audio-recorded classroom interactions at King Saudi University (Riyadh), the analysis explores “multidialectal translanguaging”-the deliberate, sequential use of multiple dialects alongside MSA to scaffold meaning and clarify vocabulary, distinguishing it from casual code-switching. The analysis indicates that teachers strategically deployed the Najdi dialect to clarify vocabulary, offer culturally grounded explanations, and guide sequential comprehension through uptake and repair, with students actively engaging with these cues to negotiate meaning. The findings underscore the pedagogical value of recognizing teachers' dialects as legitimate resources, framing multidialectal translanguaging as an interactionally grounded strategy that enriches advanced Arabic learning while maintaining essential exposure to the standard variety.