A Sociolinguistic Study of Jargon Language in Al-Najaf Industrial District

Abstract

Jargon or technical dialectal language is the particular terminology related to a particular area of activity. Jargon is usually employed in a specific communicative situation and may not be well understood outside that context. The context is typically a particular occupation (that is, a certain trade, profession, vernacular, or academic field), but any ingroup can have jargon. The key characteristic that distinguishes jargon from the rest of a language is its specialized language, which includes terms and definitions of words that are unique to the context and terms used in a narrower and more exact sense than when used in colloquial language. Jargon is typically used in a specific setting of communication and may not be easily understood outside of that context. The context is typically a specific profession, trade, or academic area, but jargon can exist within any ingroup. Jargon has a unique vocabulary, with some words that are only used frequently and have different meanings for words that outgroups would typically interpret in a different way. The present study seeks to investigate the jargon language as a social phenomenon in the Al-Najaf industrial district. To achieve this aim, the study draws on some interviews that the researcher has conducted with professionals in such districts, collecting twenty vocabulary words that can be applicable to analyzing them as jargon words. The study concludes that car repair workers and professionals in the Al-Najaf industrial district use jargon terms widely. Each profession has its own terms. These terms have various reasons for being used, and at the same time, they have an impact on the city origin language.