The Damascus Academy’s Approach to Language Change

Status: Ongoing Research Project at the Academy of Persian Language and Literature, Oversight provided by Prof. Mohammad Dabir-Moghaddam (2025–Present)
Author: S. M. H. Mirfakhraei

This research explores the Damascus Academy’s evolving stance toward linguistic change, focusing on its century-long role as a public-facing institution in the Arabic-speaking world. Drawing on a recently published corpus of over 250 public inquiries and official responses, the study analyzes how the Academy has addressed lexical and grammatical questions posed by everyday speakers. The project employs thematic analysis (inductive approach) using MAXQDA to code and categorize linguistic processes reflected in these exchanges.

The research is structured around three main components: a brief institutional overview, a typology of public inquiries and Academy responses, and selected case studies. By examining the Academy’s discursive behavior in response to language evolution, the study aims to shed light on its implicit criteria for acceptance, resistance, and reform. The findings may offer comparative insights into the practices of other language institutions, including the Persian Language and Literature Academy.

Currently in the pre-coding phase, the project combines AI-assisted data processing with full human editorial review.