We have been here for 67 years : a study of Palestinians’ perceptions of their national identity and attitudes towards their language in Lebanon -

Abstract

The present study examined how Palestinians in Lebanon identify themselves, their attitudes towards their language, both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and the Palestinian Colloquial Arabic (PCA), as an expression of their identity and cultural heritage, and the factors that affect their self-identification, language use and pride in their dialect. Participants were 37 Palestinians who are in daily contact with their Lebanese host society through their work or study. Data were collected through a background questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Results showed that the majority of participants identified themselves as Palestinian. Some factors played a role in this self-identification, the most prominent among them was educational level. Participants also had positive attitudes towards their dialect; however, they strongly believed that there are other markers of their identity that are just as prominent as their dialect. These markers included identifying as Palestinian, maintaining connections with other Palestinians, having a sense of belonging to Palestine, and maintaining the Palestinian cultural heritage. That is why, they believed that it is not their duty to speak PCA but rather to familiarize themselves with the Palestinian cause, make others aware of it, and preserve their Palestinian roots by transferring them to future generations.