'This interesting and beautifully written book by Nadia Sirhan is based on field work in Palestine and Jordan among communities she knows well. It combines the presentation of dialect data, a study of the cultural background and the nature of the texts, and an examination of previous work on folk tales and the nature of the various themes that often ... Read moreoccur in them. It will be of interest to Arabic dialectologists, literature specialists and anthropologists.' - Bruce Ingham, University of London, UK 'This book provides deep insight into the sociolinguistics of Palestinian Arabic. The documenting of folktales and narratives and the detailed discussion of these provide a picture of how language is used in these specific contexts set against the general linguistic map of Palestinian Arabic.' - Martin Orwin, Unviersity of London, UK '[Sirhan's] detailed and careful analysis of the subtle language choices and shifts of register made by narrators illuminates a dimension often overlooked in the study of folktales.' - Oral History Show Less