Public PhD Viva-Voce Examination of Mr. Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Mawlid, from the Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts & Humanities – Sana’a University
Mr. Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Mawlid, has successfully awarded the PhD Degree majoring in Linguistics, from the Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts & Humanities – Sana’a University. His dissertation, titled “Spoken Words from Maghrib Ans Region in Dhamar Governorate: A Comparative Lexical Study,” was defended on Wednesday, 27 Sha’aban 1446 Hijri
Corresponding to 26 February 2025.
The Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Post-Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
1. Prof. Ibrahim Muslih Al-Bahla, External Examiner, Dhamar University, Chair.
2. Prof.Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Selwi, Main Supervisor, Sana’a University, Member.
3. Prof. Ahmed Hassan Al-Arousi, Internal Examiner, Sana’a University, Member
The primary objective of the dissertation was to contribute to the development of a comprehensive atlas documenting the dialects of Yemen, both ancient and contemporary. Furthermore, it aimed to utilize the findings to enhance the understanding of ancient Yemeni inscriptions and manuscripts from the Arab and Islamic heritage.
The research yielded several significant findings, notably highlighting that contemporary Yemeni dialects, including the Maghreb Ans dialect, are at risk of extinction due to the influence of non-Yemeni dialects, largely propagated through social media and satellite television.
Additionally, the study established connections between the vocabulary analyzed and the lexicon found in Musnad inscriptions, as well as in ancient Psalms. It further explored the relationships among spoken language in the Maghreb Ans region, other Yemeni dialects, classical Arabic, and certain Semitic languages.
In light of these findings, the researcher advocated for governmental initiatives to prioritize the study of dialects in order to safeguard them from external influences. He emphasized that such efforts would not only help preserve Yemeni heritage and authentic civilization but also reinforce connections to cultural identity.
The Viva-Voce was attended by several academics, researchers, students, and several colleagues and family members of the researcher.
A video from the Viva-Voce
