Conceptualization of Arabic Poetry: The Impact of Vernacularism on Modern Poetic Discourse

Abstract

This study explores the concept of Vernacularism as introduced by Nasser Hajjaj in his book Arab Vernacularism (2024), positioning it as a cultural strategy countering the linguistic and cultural hegemony imposed by globalization or Arab nationalism. The research examines the re-employment of "vernacular themes" in modern Arabic poetic discourse as a means of restoring suppressed linguistic diversity and achieving balance between Standard Arabic (FusHa) and the spoken languages, which Ibn Khaldun referred to as Lughat al-Amsar (Languages of Countries) and which collectively constitute Arabi (the Arabic tongue), Contemporary Standard Spoken Arabic CSSA. The study employs both Retrospective Method and Thematic Analysis in analyzing the linguistic heritage of Arabic. It traces the historical interaction between Standard Arabic and vernacular languages, from the multiple linguistic traditions of the Quran to the establishment of Standard Arabic as the official normative language at the expense of linguistic diversity within Arabi. Additionally, Thematic Analysis is utilized to examine how vernacular themes function in poetic discourse, revealing patterns of cultural resistance and identity formation. Furthermore, the research highlights the role of vernacular themes in the poetry of modernist pioneers such as Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, Mudhaffar al-Nawab, and Salah Abdel-Sabour, analyzing how these themes function as expressive tools that allow Arabic poetry to engage with multiple cultural identities. Through this perspective, the study contributes to a reevaluation of the relationship between language, power, and cultural identity, emphasizing the significance of linguistic plurality as an integral part of the living Arabic heritage.