The Pragmatic Functions of Bass in Jordanian Spoken Arabic: A Function-Based Translation Model

Abstract

This study investigates the multifunctional discourse marker bass in Jordanian Spoken Arabic (JSA), proposing a function-based translation model grounded in systematic corpus analysis. Building on the foundational taxonomy established by Al Rousan, Al Harahsheh, and Huwari (2020), who identified sixteen pragmatic functions of bass in JSA, the present study extends this work by examining how these functions map onto optimal English translation equivalents. Through analyzing 109 annotated instances drawn from 96 minutes of natural conversations in Roya TV's Caravan program, the research confirms and refines the existing functional taxonomy while establishing explicit links between discourse function and translation strategy. The methodology employs dual validation: linguistic experts classified each occurrence with contextualized analysis, while professional translators verified functional accuracy to ensure reliable identification of pragmatic functions and their optimal English equivalents. Findings reveal that the choice of English translation—whether 'but,' 'just,' 'only,' 'so,' 'well,' or phrasal equivalents—is determined not by lexical substitution but by the specific pragmatic role bass plays in context. This study makes three primary contributions: (1) validation and refinement of Al Rousan et al.'s (2020) functional taxonomy through independent corpus analysis; (2) development of a systematic framework linking each discourse function to optimal translation strategies; and (3) practical guidelines for Arabic-English translation of multifunctional particles.