Mohammed Nofal
@aou.edu.kw
Assistant Professor of Linguistics, Faculty of Language Studies
Arab Open University
Mohammed Nofal is Assistant Professor of linguistics at the Arab Open University, Kuwait. He received his training in sociolinguistics at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. His research interests include heritage languages, language and identity, language and religion, and corpus linguistics.
EDUCATION
PhD in Linguistics
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Sociolinguistics, Corpus Linguistics
6
Scopus Publications
191
Scholar Citations
7
Scholar h-index
5
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
- A Corpus-Assisted Analysis: The East/West Binary Oppositions in Isabella Hammad's The Parisian
Nasaybah Awajan and Mohammed Nofal
Richtmann Publishing
Drawing upon the theory of postcolonialism in tandem with Edward Said’s views on Orientalism, this study explores the East/West binary oppositions in Isabella Hammad’s The Parisian. In this study, we treat the novel as a corpus consisting of 196,000 words and adopt a corpus linguistics (CL) approach to literature by using the corpus software Antconc. The analysis reveals a group of postcolonial binary oppositions related to three categories, namely, characteristics, geography, and characters. The contribution of the current study is twofold. First, the application of CL extends the current line of research of an under researched area by bringing together CL and literary studies. Second, it highlights the East/West binary oppositions in diaspora literature.
 
 Received: 17 April 2023 / Accepted: 20 June 2023 / Published: 5 July 2023 - “I’m Praising God in the Language that He Loves”: Language Use in Religious Discourse
Mohammed Y. Nofal
The Association of Professors of English and Translation at Arab Universities - APETAU
Religion has been a key factor in the linguistic inquiry. Due to its significance in social life, it came to be in an intertwined relationship with language. Much of linguistic research has focused on this relationship in institutionalized settings such as schools, mosques and churches. Yet, the study of the interaction between language use and religion in less or non-institutional settings has not attracted much attention. This study responds to this need by exploring the use of Arabic within an English-language Friday sermon to address a multilingual religious community at an on-campus Muslim prayer site in New Zealand. Drawing upon data from semi-structured interviews with 10 volunteer sermon presenters, the study identifies various motivations and functions of using Arabic in the Friday sermons from the sermon presenters’ perspectives. The overall conclusion is that Arabic language use in the Friday sermons goes beyond the communicative aspect of language. - Family Language Practices of a New Zealand Adoptive Family
- An ethnic language and culture without a safe enclave: A sociocultural perspective
B. Dweik, Mohammed Nofal and M. Al-Obaidi
The Association of Professors of English and Translation at Arab Universities - APETAU
The Sabean Mandaeans are the only minority group in Iraq ‘without a safe enclave’. They are a religious ethnic group deeply rooted in the history of Mesopotamia whose existence dates back to around 2000 years. This study investigates the status of Mandaic among the Sabean Mandaeans of Baghdad and explores the cultural aspects they preserve. The researchers hypothesise that (1) Mandaic has been abandoned a long time ago, but (2) they have managed to keep alive some elements of their cultural and religious identity. A sample of 115 participants responded to a questionnaire which was preceded by a focus group interviews. Interviews were also undertaken with four participants to verify and enrich the data obtained from the questionnaire. Results show that the Sabean Mandaeans of Baghdad lack proficiency in their heritage language and that Mandaic retains ritual use while Arabic is their first language. However, Mandaeans have preserved many cultural elements, such as religious rituals, social, ethnic and religious festivals and celebrations, and family relations.
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
- Language and the Law: Investigating Linguistic Evidence in Jordanian Courts
M Alkhalayleh, M Nofal, W Al Ahmad
International Journal of Linguistics, Literature & Translation 8 (3), 164-174 2025 - When Yesterday’s Enemy Becomes Today’s Friend: A corpus-assisted critical discourse analysis of the representation of Arabs in the Israeli ‘Jerusalem Post’
M Baker, M Nofal
International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation 7 (10), 38-53 2024 - Gender Representation in English Textbooks: The Case of High School Textbooks in Jordan
MBM al, M Nofal
TESOL Kuwait Journal 1 (3), 72-96 2023 - A Corpus-Assisted Analysis: The East/West Binary Oppositions in Isabella Hammad’s The Parisian
N Awajan, M Nofal
Journal of Educational and Social Research 13 (4), 153-165 2023 - “I’m Praising God in the Language that He Loves”: Language Use in Religious Discourse
MY Nofal
International Journal of Arabic-English Studies 23 (2), 19-36 2023 - A Corpus-Driven Exploration of Language Use in Religious Discourse
M Nofal
Journal of Research in Applied Linguistics 14 (1), 41-60 2023 - A Corpus-assisted Critical Discourse Analysis of the Representation of Arabs in the Israeli ‘Jerusalem Post’ in the Periods before and after Normalization
MA Dar Baker, M Nofal
The Eighth International Conference on Languages, Linguistics, Translation 2023 - Language Use and Attitudes among the Kurds of Baghdad
TA Al-Obaidi, M Nofal
Jordan Journal of Modern Languages and Literatures Vol 14 (4), 931-949 2022 - Family Language Practices of a New Zealand Adoptive Family
M NOFAL, CA SEALS
Diversifying Family Language Policy, 33 2022 - Linguistic Reflection Drawings as an Imaginative Space for Expressing Belonging
M Nofal, C Seals
Multilingual Children and their Imaginative Worlds 2021 - Multilingual practices and identity negotiation among multilingual heritage language learners in New Zealand
M Nofal
Victoria University of Wellington 2020 - An Ethnic Language and Culture without a Safe Enclave: A Sociocultural Perspective
B Dweik
International Journal of Arabic-English Studies 19 (1), 103-122 2019 - Identity Negotiationand Development among Heritage Language Learners
M Nofal
Language Data Analysis Summer School 2019 - Meaning making in multicultural New Zealand: The case of Indian Kiwi children
M Nofal
Interaction and Meaning Conference (iMean6) 2019 - The Wellington Hindi School as a Constellation of Communities of Practice
M Nofal
Sociolinguistics symposium (SS22) 2018 - Gender representation in English language textbooks: Action pack 10
MY Nofal, HA Qawar
American Journal of Educational Science 1 (2), 14-18 2015 - Linguistic Choices and Perceptions in Multilingual Spheres: The Case of the Indo-Yemenis
B Dweik, M Nofal
Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities 1 (3), 235-244 2015 - The language of shop signs in Amman: A sociolinguistic study
RF Hussein, MY Nofal, AJ Mansour
International Journal of Educational Research and Reviews 3 (2), 155-164 2015 - Language use and language attitudes among the Muslim Arabs of Vancouver/Canada: A sociolinguistic study
BS Dweik, MY Nofal, RS Qawasmeh
International Journal of Linguistics and Communication 2 (2), 75-99 2014 - The linguistic landscape in Jordan: Opinions and attitudes
M Nofal, A Mansour
Global Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Studies 3 (3), 27-37 2014
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
- Gender representation in English language textbooks: Action pack 10
MY Nofal, HA Qawar
American Journal of Educational Science 1 (2), 14-18 2015
Citations: 51 - Language use and language attitudes among the Muslim Arabs of Vancouver/Canada: A sociolinguistic study
BS Dweik, MY Nofal, RS Qawasmeh
International Journal of Linguistics and Communication 2 (2), 75-99 2014
Citations: 37 - The language situation among the Indians of Yemen: A sociolinguistic study
MY Nofal, BS Dweik
Middle East University 2011
Citations: 26 - The language of shop signs in Amman: A sociolinguistic study
RF Hussein, MY Nofal, AJ Mansour
International Journal of Educational Research and Reviews 3 (2), 155-164 2015
Citations: 20 - Language Maintenance among the Indians of Yemen: A Sociolinguistic Study
BS Dweik
International Journal of Arabic-English Studies 14 (1), 89-112 2013
Citations: 11 - Multilingual practices and identity negotiation among multilingual heritage language learners in New Zealand
M Nofal
Victoria University of Wellington 2020
Citations: 9 - An Ethnic Language and Culture without a Safe Enclave: A Sociocultural Perspective
B Dweik
International Journal of Arabic-English Studies 19 (1), 103-122 2019
Citations: 7 - Family Language Practices of a New Zealand Adoptive Family
M NOFAL, CA SEALS
Diversifying Family Language Policy, 33 2022
Citations: 6 - The linguistic landscape in Jordan: Opinions and attitudes
M Nofal, A Mansour
Global Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Studies 3 (3), 27-37 2014
Citations: 6 - A Corpus-Driven Exploration of Language Use in Religious Discourse
M Nofal
Journal of Research in Applied Linguistics 14 (1), 41-60 2023
Citations: 5 - A Corpus-Assisted Analysis: The East/West Binary Oppositions in Isabella Hammad’s The Parisian
N Awajan, M Nofal
Journal of Educational and Social Research 13 (4), 153-165 2023
Citations: 4 - Linguistic Choices and Perceptions in Multilingual Spheres: The Case of the Indo-Yemenis
B Dweik, M Nofal
Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities 1 (3), 235-244 2015
Citations: 4 - “I’m Praising God in the Language that He Loves”: Language Use in Religious Discourse
MY Nofal
International Journal of Arabic-English Studies 23 (2), 19-36 2023
Citations: 3 - When Yesterday’s Enemy Becomes Today’s Friend: A corpus-assisted critical discourse analysis of the representation of Arabs in the Israeli ‘Jerusalem Post’
M Baker, M Nofal
International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation 7 (10), 38-53 2024
Citations: 1 - Language Use and Attitudes among the Kurds of Baghdad
TA Al-Obaidi, M Nofal
Jordan Journal of Modern Languages and Literatures Vol 14 (4), 931-949 2022
Citations: 1