"Implied Meaning in Dubai/Sharjah and East Jerusalem/Bethlehem: T-shirts, Advertisements, Store Names, and the Bethlehem Wall"

Dr. Betty Lanteigne, AUS Department of English

"Implied Meaning in Dubai/Sharjah and EastJerusalem/Bethlehem: T-shirts, Advertisements, Store Names, and the BethlehemWall"

In numerous large cities in the Middle East,English is widely spoken as a lingua franca (LF) between Arabic-speakingcitizens, foreign tourists, and/or expatriate residents. Implied meaning,integral to human interaction, can be challenging in LF. One aspect of impliedmeaning is nuances through pragmatic presupposition.

Part of a larger project, this presentation focuses on pragmatic presuppositionfound in T-shirts and advertisements (Dubai, Sharjah, East Jerusalem, andBethlehem), store signs (East Jerusalem and Bethlehem), and Bethlehem Wallgraffiti and posters. Three societal factors influenced expression of impliedmeaning in these areas. Politics featured prominently in Bethlehem (Wallgraffiti and stories), somewhat in Jerusalem, but not in Dubai/Sharjah. Luxurywas specifically used to appeal to Dubai customers, but not in the other areas. Demographics (religion and nationality) played a role, with Christian andIslamic implied meaning expressed in Bethlehem, and Islamic views inDubai/Sharjah. Indian audiences were addressed in Dubai advertising.

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