Emtenan Eifan

Emtenan is a third-year PhD researcher in Arabic Linguistics at SOAS, University of London. Her doctoral research is situated at the intersection of grammaticalization, Arabic dialectology, and language/dialect contact. 

Specifically, her work investigates how synchronic variation within modern Arabic dialects reflects layered processes of change, contact, and reanalysis over time. Her current project examines grammaticalization pathways across diverse modern Arabic varieties, aiming to reconstruct the historical mechanisms that have sculpted contemporary systems while synthesizing fragmented insights from across the broader dialectological literature. 

Her academic background is marked by a record of excellence. She holds an MA in Linguistics from the University of Manchester, where she completed her thesis on "Grammaticalization in Urban Hijazi Arabic," and a BA in English Language and Literature from King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah, where she earned First Class Honours. This dual formation has fostered a sustained engagement with both English and Arabic linguistic traditions, allowing her to bring a comparative perspective to her work that bridges descriptive and analytical approaches to language. 

Emtenan’s professional career is driven by a passion for teaching linguistics and a commitment to institutional growth. Following her undergraduate studies, she was appointed as a Teaching Assistant in the English Department at King Abdulaziz University, later advancing to the role of Lecturer. During her tenure, she designed and delivered a comprehensive suite of undergraduate modules, including Syntax, Semantics, Morphology, Phonetics & Phonology, Stylistics, Research Design, and Academic Writing. Beyond the classroom, she contributed to the university’s administrative operations through her work in the Academic Advising Committee, the Graduates Committee, and the Exit Exam Committee. 

She is currently on research leave from her faculty position at KAU to focus on the completion of her doctoral studies. During her time at SOAS, Emtenan has shared some of her preliminary findings at the Oxford Postgraduate Conference in Linguistics (LingO) and the 6th Arabic Linguistics Forum (ALiF) at the University of Vienna. This included a presentation titled "Reflexivity Across the Arab World: Towards an Understanding of Areal Distribution and Historical Development." She intends to share further findings from her research soon.

• Language change
• Language/dialect contact
• Arabic dialectology
• Historical linguistics