From slaughter to skill: metaphorical polysemy of <i>saffa:ħ</i> in Urban Jordanian Arabic

This study explores the new functions of the noun saffa:ħ in Urban Jordanian Arabic. Additionally, it investigates how metaphorical extensions shape the integration of concepts and perspectives into the polysemic usage of saffa:ħ among Urban Jordanian Arabic speakers. Data were collected using an online questionnaire that included a structured elicitation task, distributed to participants selected through a convenience sampling technique. In addition to the questionnaire, a focus-group discussion was held with 20 randomly selected participants. While saffa:ħ originally means slaughterer, the findings show that it was used alongside various other meanings by the participants, including the reference to a person moving quickly, an extremely excellent person, or a skillful person. Thus, the study explains the polysemic usage of saffa:ħ and its variants, providing the new functions of it among Urban Jordanian Arabic speakers.