Traditional dialectology, focusing on regional variations within a nation and neglecting pragmatics, has limitations. Variational Pragmatics (VP), a hybrid discipline combining pragmatics and variational linguistics, addresses this gap by studying how language varies across nations and social factors (gender, age, region, socioeconomic class). This study adopts a VP approach to compare the realization of the speech act of suggestion in Alexandrian and Najdi Arabic. This is significant due to the scarcity of variational pragmatic research in Arabic, the language's pluricentric nature (spoken in 22 countries), and the lack of research on suggestion realization in L1. The study examines the impact of region, gender, social distance, and social dominance on suggestion strategies in these two geographically and culturally distinct, yet interconnected, Arab regions, separated by 1661 kilometers but with extensive language contact due to migration and tourism.

Existing research on the speech act of suggestion is mainly focused on instructional pragmatics and interlingual pragmatics (L2 learners). Interlingual studies reveal that native speakers use a wider range of strategies than L2 learners, with L2 learners often relying on conventionalized or direct forms. Studies on L1 speakers' suggestions, while limited, show influences of politeness norms and cultural factors. For example, Iranian Farsi speakers showed a preference for direct strategies, reflecting their collectivistic culture, while the preferences of L1 American English speakers varied depending on the context and task. This study aims to fill the gap by examining L1 Arabic suggestions, exploring variational pragmatics within the Arabic language, and analyzing the effects of key social variables—gender, social distance, and social dominance—on the realization of this speech act.

Data were gathered from 240 university students (120 Alexandrians, 120 Najdis) aged 18-23, equally divided by gender. A DCT comprising six scenarios, validated by four applied linguistics professors, was used. Two versions of the DCT were created (one for male and one for female respondents), employing mini-dialogs in the appropriate dialect to encourage natural responses. Scenarios varied in social distance (intimate/distant) and social dominance (high, equal, low). Data collection involved a researcher speaking the participants' native dialect. Data were coded using Martínez-Flor's (2005) taxonomy of suggestion strategies, along with external (comments, apologies, promises, etc.) and internal (downgraders, upgraders) modifiers. Two researchers independently coded the data, achieving 87% inter-coder reliability; discrepancies were resolved through discussion.

Both Alexandrians and Najdis predominantly used direct suggestion strategies (imperatives and negative imperatives), followed by conventionalized forms (possibility/probability). External modifiers (reason, comment, promise) were far more frequent than internal modifiers. Statistical tests (t-tests and ANOVAs) revealed significant differences: * **Dialectal Differences:** Najdis produced significantly more direct strategies than Alexandrians, who used significantly more conventionalized forms. * **Gender Differences:** Alexandrian women used significantly more suggestions overall (including nouns of suggestion, negative imperatives, possibility/probability, and impersonal forms) than Alexandrian men. Najdi men used significantly more direct strategies and imperatives than Najdi women. * **Social Distance:** Both groups used significantly more suggestions and direct strategies with intimate addressees than distant ones, favoring conventionalized strategies with distant addressees. * **Social Dominance:** Both Alexandrians and Najdis used significantly more suggestions and direct strategies with equal addressees than those with higher or lower dominance. Conventionalized strategies were more frequent with addressees of higher or lower dominance.

The strong preference for direct suggestions, contrary to politeness theory's prediction of indirectness for face-threatening acts, reflects the Arab World's collectivistic nature, where suggestions are seen as cooperative acts, not impositions. The minimal use of indirect strategies supports this interpretation. The greater use of direct strategies by Najdis compared to Alexandrians aligns with previous research indicating a more collectivistic behavior among Najdis. The findings challenge Hall's (1976) high-context culture model, suggesting that message explicitness/implicitness depends on the speech act's perceived function (suggestions viewed as cooperative lead to explicit messages). The results also echo findings from studies on American undergraduates and Chinese official reports but highlight the context-dependent nature of suggestion strategies. The influence of gender and social dynamics on suggestion strategies, mirroring earlier findings, underscores the interplay of cultural and social factors.

This study contributes to VP research by illustrating pragmatic variation within a single language across geographically proximate regions. It demonstrates the impact of cultural norms and social variables on suggestion strategies. Pedagogically, it highlights the importance of cross-cultural awareness in teaching Arabic as a foreign language. Future research should expand the sample size, include additional Arab dialects, and employ ethnographic methods for more authentic data. Further cross-cultural pragmatic comparisons would enrich our understanding of speech act realization.

The study's limitations include a relatively small sample size (240 participants), focusing only on Alexandrian and Najdi Arabic, and relying on the artificial context of DCTs. These factors might restrict the generalizability of the findings. Larger samples, inclusion of diverse dialects, and supplementing DCTs with naturalistic data collection methods are recommended for future research.