• Fuad Jassim Mohammed

  Author

• Jinan Abdul Razzaq Al-Heety

  Author

It has been argued that mobility is an efficient motive of the deterioration of largescale
close-knit localized networks, which have over time preserved highly systematic and
convoluted sets of socially-built linguistic standards (Milroy, 1980). Previous research on the
qəltu dialects of Iraq has indicated that these dialects are in a state of levelling in favor of the
gilit dialect group. This paper explores a war-induced Regional Dialect Levelling in the qəltu
dialect spoken in Hīt in relation to Social Network Integration. Recordings were made of 18 Hītborn
informants, native speakers of the qəltu dialect in three age groups (20-39, 40-59, and over
60). Results revealed a state of diffusion of more prestigious variants associated with more
dominant dialect, spreading outward at the expense of socially marked variants. There was
consistent statistically significant correlation between high scores of Network Integration and
the choice of new variants. Involvement within friendship networks with gilit-speaking migrants
has a stronger impact on informants’ language behavior than their contacts when they are
outside Hīt (i.e. spatial mobility).

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