Language Shift in the Gaza Strip and Its Reflection of Cultural Integration

Axin Gao

GBP Proceedings Series, 2025, vol. 9, 62-73

Abstract: This paper examines the historical and contemporary language shifts in the Gaza Strip as reflections of cultural fusion, identity formation, and political transformation. Through a detailed review of Gaza's linguistic evolution-from ancient multilingual influences, Ottoman and British colonial legacies, to the impacts of displacement, Egyptian administration, and Israeli occupation-this study highlights how language acts as both a tool of domination and a means of resistance. Case studies on intergenerational language transmission, multilingual practices in markets, linguistic landscapes, and youth social media use reveal how Gazans negotiate complex identities through adaptive and hybrid linguistic behaviors. The findings underscore that language change in Gaza is neither linear nor isolated; it captures the tensions between imposed authority and grassroots agency. This research contributes to broader Middle Eastern sociolinguistics and postcolonial studies, suggesting future directions for empirical research and language policy in conflict-affected communities.

Keywords: Gaza Strip; language change; cultural fusion; identity formation; multilingualism; sociolinguistics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:axf:gbppsa:v:9:y:2025:i::p:62-73

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