The Influence of the Spoken Dialect of Southern Iraq on Shaping the Poetic and Melodic Structure of Iraqi Songs

Abstract

The present study examines the influence of the spoken dialect of Southern Iraq on shaping the poetic and melodic structure of Iraqi songs from a scientific perspective that views the southern dialect as an active linguistic and phonetic system contributing to the construction of the song as both a poetic and musical text, rather than merely a medium of oral expression.

The study consists of an introduction, followed by Chapter One (Methodological Framework), which includes the research problem, objectives, significance, scope, and terminology. Chapter Two (Theoretical Framework) presents a historical overview of the development of the spoken dialect in Southern Iraq, its phonetic and phonological characteristics, and its role in shaping the artistic structure of songs. It also examines the influence of phonological features on the formation of the poetic and melodic structure of southern Iraqi songs, in addition to the findings derived from the theoretical framework.

Chapter Three adopts the descriptive-analytical method and includes the analysis and study of selected song samples representing the southern Iraqi cities of Basrah, Dhi Qar, and Maysan during the 1960s and 1970s, a period distinguished by its rich production of popular songs. Through the research procedures, the researcher achieved the objectives of the study and arrived at a set of conclusions derived from the findings, as well as recommendations and suggestions. The study concludes with a list of references