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Item Restricted Development and Evaluation of a Functional Protein Bar Enriched with Saudi Arabian Date Varieties (Phoenix dactylifera L.)(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alolayan, Norah Ali; O'Connor, EibhlishAntioxidant-rich diets are increasingly recognized for their role in reducing oxidative stress and supporting metabolic health. Functional snack products, such as protein bars, offer a convenient means of delivering these bioactive compounds in everyday nutrition. Dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) are promising ingredients in this context due to their high polyphenol content, natural sugars, and dietary fibre. This study aimed to evaluate four Saudi date cultivars—Sukari, Shishi, Ajwa, and Rashoodiah—for their suitability in developing a functional protein bar. Key parameters included antioxidant activity, sugar composition, fibre profile, and sensory acceptability. Antioxidant capacity was measured using total phenol content (TPC), DPPH, and FRAP assays, with Ajwa and Rashoodiah displaying the highest values, aligning with existing literature. Sugar analysis revealed elevated reducing sugars in Ajwa and Shishi, indicating greater invertase activity, while Rashoodiah retained more sucrose. These findings have nutritional implications, particularly in terms of sweetness intensity and potential glycaemic response. Fibre composition, assessed by the Van Soest method, showed Ajwa to be rich in acid detergent fibre (ADF), associated with satiety, and Shishi high in neutral detergent fibre (NDF), linked to fermentability and gut health. Sensory evaluation indicated Sukari as the most preferred cultivar, followed by Shishi and Ajwa, whereas a commercial bar scored lower on taste and texture. The findings support the use of date fruits in functional snack development, offering a balance of natural sweetness, antioxidant activity, dietary fibre, and positive consumer perception.9 0Item Restricted Artificial Intelligence (AI) Assimilation in the Public Sector:An Attention-Based Exploration of Decision Making, Leadership, and Communication in Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alshahrani, Albandari Fahad; Griva, Anastasia; Dennehy, DenisThe rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has opened new possibilities for public sector organisations to improve service delivery, strengthen decision-making processes, and enhance operational efficiency. However, successfully assimilating AI in government contexts presents distinct challenges that differ markedly from those faced by private sector organisations. Public institutions operate within complex frameworks shaped by multiple stakeholder expectations, stringent regulatory requirements, accountability obligations, and often risk-averse organisational cultures — all of which significantly influence technology assimilation outcomes. Despite growing interest in AI within government, there is still limited understanding of how organisational attention dynamics shape AI assimilation processes. This PhD thesis addresses this critical gap by applying the Attention-Based View (ABV) theory to explore how leadership attention allocation, communication practices, and institutional contexts influence AI integration in public sector organisations. This doctoral thesis, structured as an article-based PhD, comprises three interrelated studies that collectively advance understanding of AI assimilation through the lens of organisational attention. The research pursues five Research Objectives (ROs): identifying organisational and governance challenges in public sector AI assimilation through a systematic literature review (RO1); investigating leadership attention allocation mechanisms in AI initiatives (RO2); examining communication channels as attention management mechanisms in public sector AI integration (RO3); analysing how national policies and institutional contexts influence AI assimilation outcomes (RO4); and providing practical insights for AI-driven governance (RO5). Methodologically, the research combines a systematic literature review with qualitative case studies conducted in the Saudi Arabian public sector, focusing on organisations implementing AI under the Vision 2030 transformation agenda. The first study presents a systematic literature review of 61 peer-reviewed articles published between 2012 and 2023, mapping the current state of AI research in public administration. This review identifies seven major challenges including infrastructure limitations, data governance issues, workforce readiness gaps, regulatory complexities, cultural resistance, cybersecurity concerns, and resource constraints, and five primary benefits, such as enhanced decision-making, greater efficiency, cost optimisation, increased transparency, and improved citizen engagement. This study lays a foundational understanding of AI assimilation challenges and underscores the need for attention-based perspectives. The second study applies ABV theory to examine attention-related challenges in AI assimilation within Saudi public sector organisations. Using in-depth qualitative analysis of a single case study, the research identifies five core attention-based challenges, divided into internal (situated) and external (structural) categories. Internally, challenges include fragmented leadership attention, competing priorities, and resource conflicts; externally, they involve regulatory demands, stakeholder expectations, and institutional pressures. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how attention allocation shapes AI outcomes and underscore the central role of leadership focus in managing assimilation challenges. The third study extends this analysis by exploring how leadership practices and communication channels facilitate AI integration across multiple Saudi public sector organisations. The research shows that leaders coordinate organisational attention through structural frameworks (formal systems), situated practices (contextual engagement), and communication-mediated mechanisms (information flow management). The study introduces the concept of leaders as "attention architects" who design and manage attention structures to support digital transformation. Findings reveal how formal and informal communication channels function not only as conduits but as active mechanisms shaping attention, fostering alignment, and sustaining commitment to AI initiatives. Theoretically, this thesis advances ABV by applying the theory to public sector AI assimilation and developing communication channels as attention regulators. It offers the first thorough application of ABV in public sector AI assimilation, highlighting distinct dynamics compared to private sector contexts. The study also underscores the role of national transformation agendas in shaping attention allocation and assimilation trajectories, providing insights relevant to Global South and developing country contexts. Furthermore, this thesis establishes a novel theoretical framework that integrates organisational attention with institutional theory, demonstrating how cultural and political factors systematically influence attention allocation patterns in complex technological transformations (Ocasio et al., 2018; Taras et al., 2020). The thesis also contributes to communication theory by conceptualising formal and informal communication networks as co-equal drivers of attention distribution, challenging traditional hierarchical models of organisational attention and proposing a more dynamic, multi-channel approach to understanding attention flows in public sector contexts (Putnam & Mumby, 2014; Cornelissen et al., 2020). Practically, the findings provide actionable guidance for public sector leaders and policymakers. They suggest strategies for designing attention structures, managing competing demands, and leveraging communication channels to enable successful AI integration. The focus on Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 offers valuable lessons for other governments pursuing digital transformation under complex institutional and cultural constraints. This thesis acknowledges limitations, including its focus on a single national context, the literature review's temporal scope (up to 2023), and the qualitative nature of empirical studies. These limitations present opportunities for future work, such as cross-country comparative studies, longitudinal analyses of attention dynamics, and quantitative validation of the developed frameworks. In sum, this thesis makes significant contributions to both theory and practice by demonstrating the critical role of organisational attention in public sector AI assimilation. It reveals that successful integration demands strategic attention management, effective communication systems, and leadership practices that align organisational focus with implementation goals. The findings offer a strong foundation for future studies on attention dynamics in technology assimilation and provide practical insights to support leaders and policymakers striving for AI-enabled governance transformation. By integrating theoretical depth with practical relevance, this PhD research advances academic understanding and offers concrete guidance for navigating public sector digital transformation.6 0Item Restricted Perceived business model impacts of blockchain and other advanced technologies adoption(University College Cork, 2025) Alshabeeb, Zainab; Daly, Mary; Feller, JosephThe adoption of advanced technologies by organisations can affect all aspects of an organisation’s business model. This is particularly true for disruptive technologies such as blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), and others. The objective of this study is “To explore the perceived impacts of blockchain and other advanced technologies adoption on an organisation's business model.” A web-based survey was derived by adopting the Business Model Canvas (BMC) (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010) as a lens, and 19 business model impacts were identified in prior research. The study employs a mixed-method approach in two phases: an exploratory study with 31 questionnaire responses plus short interviews, and an extended study with 72 survey responses. The exploratory study focuses on blockchain, small and medium enterprises, and Saudi Arabia. The extended study contains several technologies, organisation sizes, and regions. The findings reveal that the majority of respondents (N=72) perceive all 19 business model impacts stemming from adopting advanced technologies in general, although this correlates with organisational size for some impacts. However, the perceived impacts of blockchain adoption as reported by blockchain adopters (N=41) are mixed. The majority of blockchain adopters surveyed do not perceive the anticipated impacts of blockchain adoption, although again this correlates with organisational size and sector. The study makes several key contributions that agree with prior research on the perceived impacts of technology adoption in general, challenging prior research on the perceived impacts of blockchain adoption specifically, and extending current knowledge in terms of the relationships between size, sector, and perceived impacts. The study also contributes to practice, offering insight to managers who are motivated to address the challenges of technology adoption, mitigate negative effects, and maximise positive impacts. Such decision makers can benefit from the insights of the study about the importance of use cases, ROI measurement, and other factors.5 0Item Restricted Predicting One-Dimensional Protein Structures by Leveraging Pre-Trained Language Models (PLMs) and Deep Learning(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alanazi, Wafa; Pollastri, GianlucaProteins are essential biomolecules, and their function is intrinsically linked to their structure. Understanding this relationship is crucial for advancements in molecular biology, medicine, and biotechnology. Despite the rapid growth in sequencing data, structural data remains sparse due to the challenges and costs associated with experimental methods. As a result, computational protein structure prediction has become essential in bridging the gap between sequence data and structural understanding. This thesis focuses on advancing one-dimensional (1D) structural annotations—specifically secondary structure (SS) and relative solvent accessibility (RSA)—by leveraging state-of-the art deep learning methodologies. Two novel prediction tools are introduced: Porter6 for SS prediction and PaleAle6.0 for RSA prediction. Both models utilize pre-trained protein language models (PLMs) and a convolutional bidirectional recurrent neural network (CBRNN) architecture, enabling high-accuracy predictions without relying on multiple sequence alignments. PaleAle6.0 further supports real-valued, binary, and multi-class RSA outputs, offering enhanced flexibility and performance. To promote accessibility and usability, these tools are made available to the research community through DeepPredict, a web-based platform designed for efficient and scalable structural predictions. DeepPredict enables users to perform accurate SS and RSA predictions with minimal computational requirements. This thesis presents a comprehensive evaluation of PLM-based embeddings, highlights the importance of careful dataset design to avoid bias and overfitting, and promotes realistic evaluation metrics that consider evolutionary relationships between proteins. With its powerful prediction capabilities and user-friendly design, DeepPredict supports a wide range of applications in drug discovery, synthetic biology, and the understanding of disease mechanisms, laying a strong foundation for future advancements in computational biology.9 0Item Restricted The Lived Experience of Working Mothers Who Intended to Continue Exclusive Breastfeeding Upon the Return to Work in Saudi Arabia: An Interpretative Phenomenology Analysis Study(Trinity College Dublin, 2025) Alsulimani, Manar; Hughes, Mary; Gallagher, LouiseBackground: The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for infants during their first six months of life. A mother’s ability to maintain the EBF for the recommended duration is often impacted by obstacles such as returning early to employment. Previous research has identified a lack of lactation facilities and short maternity leave as factors that contribute to the early cessation of EBF. A review of the literature underscored the need for additional research to examine the EBF experiences of working mothers following their return to work. Additionally, there is a lack of studies investigating factors influencing the EBF practices of working mothers in Saudi Arabia who returned to work before six months post-partum. Aim: The study aimed to explore the lived experiences of Saudi working mothers who intended to continue EBF upon their return to work after paid maternity leave. Methods: Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) framework was used, to explore the experiences of 14 Saudi working mothers in the health and education sectors. Participants, who had between ten to twelve weeks of maternity leave, were interviewed between March and May 2022 using purposive and snowball sampling. All participants had intended to continue EBF for up to six months after returning to work. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and IPA was utilised for data analysis. The study received ethical approval from TCD, UQU, MCH, and the General Administration of Education in Saudi Arabia. Findings: Three key themes emerged: i) Navigating EBF; ii) The Realities of EBF After Returning to Work; and iii) Resilience in Longer EBF Journeys. The study identified policy gaps, inadequate breastfeeding facilities, and inflexible breastfeeding breaks as significant barriers to continuing EBF. However, most participants who prolonged their EBF journey despite workplace barriers demonstrated strong commitment and resilience, significantly driven by their faith in Allah, the support of their social networks, and proactive strategic planning. Conclusion: This study makes a several unique contributions to Saudi literature and adds to the existing body of international research. It enhances understanding of the EBF experiences of working mothers in the distinct context of Saudi Arabia, highlighting the need for a comprehensive strategy to support EBF working mothers in the country. This includes addressing workplace challenges, implementing supportive workplace policies, strengthening healthcare support, normalising EBF within families and society through raising awareness to facilitate a smoother transition for EBF working mothers returning to work after maternity leave.16 0Item Restricted “Legal Aspects of Cryptocurrency Trading: Between Financial Liberalization and Threat to Economic Stability”(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Almutairi, Abdulwahab Munif; Nagy, Csongor IstvanThis thesis examines the legality behind the use and trading of cryptocurrencies and various countries attempts to bring them under regulation. The emergence of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin is transforming the way individuals view money, yet it generates numerous legal and monetary issues. The study examines how various jurisdictions, such as Saudi Arabia, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, El Salvador, and the European Union, have developed unique rules on handling cryptocurrencies. There are states in which open policies have permitted crypto, whereas other states have criminalized or banned it to a certain extent. The study refers to cryptocurrencies' most significant threats, including their highly volatile prices, employment in financing illicit activities, and the danger of controlling a nation's currency. It further presents the issue of regulating crypto worldwide, given that the law cannot keep up with the pace of technology. A proposal for a more effective legal framework is one of the essential components of the paper. This involves more precise definitions of what a crypto-asset is, more co-operation between countries, ensuring more user protection, and rules that remain flexible, but still enable emerging technologies to flourish. The paper also discusses the central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and their differences from cryptocurrencies. The thesis proposes that nations collaborate to establish straightforward, equitable, and efficient regulations that govern crypto threats in a manner that enables innovation.27 0Item Restricted Development of Three-dimensional Scaffold Models Suitable for the Study of Prostate Cancer Progression(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Kamal, Nezar; Curtin, Caroline; Murphy, Ciara; Hameed, AamirProstate cancer (PC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in men worldwide. In advanced PC, cancer cells undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, characterised by increasing mesenchymal factors, leading to metastasis. At the metastatic sites, cells undergo a mesenchymal-to-epithelial (MET) process, characterised by increasing epithelial and angiogenic factors for more stable colonisation. In recent years, the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the PC tumour microenvironment (TME) has been recognised as a critical player in cancer development and the EMT process. The ECM of prostate tissue consists of collagen and various constituents, including chondroitin sulfate (CS) and hyaluronic acid (HyA), which significantly increase during PC progression and warrant further investigation. Due to their inherent limitations, 2D cultures cannot entirely mimic the in vivo ECM of PC TME, displaying significant differences in cell shape, proliferation, and differentiation. Therefore, this project aims to develop physiologically relevant 3D collagen-based scaffolds containing different concentrations of CS and HyA to mimic the ECM of PC and be suitable for studying the EMT process, evaluating anti-cancer therapeutics, including chemotherapy and gene therapy, and studying the PC bone metastasis in bone-mimicking scaffolds. In Chapter 2 of this thesis, four collagen-based scaffolds were successfully developed and characterised. The scaffolds were named according to CS and HyA concentration (Col/CS low, Col/CS high, Col/HyA low and Col/HyA high). The scaffolds revealed excellent biocompatibility and facilitated the attachment and survival of two PC cell lines, LNCaP and PC-3. Additionally, the scaffolds maintained the typical phenotype of PC cells, confirming their suitability for PC research. Chapter 3 focused on examining the influence of ECM components, including CS and HyA, on the EMT process of PC using the scaffolds developed in Chapter 2. The findings indicated that CS promotes EMT and aggressiveness in PC cells by stimulating the expression of mesenchymal markers, metastatic markers, and pro-inflammatory, angiogenic, and proliferation-related cytokines, particularly in PC-3 cells. On the other hand, HyA was found to suppress EMT in LNCaP cells by enhancing epithelial marker expression and reducing angiogenic cytokines. This highlighted the crucial functions of ECM components in regulating EMT and PC advancement. In Chapter 4, the scaffolds created in Chapter 2 were used to assess the chemotherapy response generated by PC in a 3D environment compared to the 2D culture. Moreover, the potential therapeutic effect of miRNA-23a (miR-23a) was evaluated using these scaffolds as novel gene therapy. The results underscored the role of CS in promoting chemoresistance in PC-3 cells, making it the perfect target to assess the effect of miR- 23a overexpression in PC progression. The study showed that miR-23a can inhibit cell migration, invasiveness, metastatic behaviour, and aggressive phenotype. This indicates that miR23-a is a promising gene therapy in PC and highlights the efficiency of collagen- based scaffolds. Finally, a bone-mimicking collagen-nanohydroxyapatite scaffold was used as a platform to mimic PC bone metastasis in Chapter 5 and study the cellular interactions within the TME. The study was designed by co-culturing different osteoblast maturities with PC cells (LNCaP and PC-3) to examine their relationships more deeply and simulate the TME. The co-culture systems revealed that the scaffolds mimic the TME of PC bone metastasis, highlighting the role that osteoblasts play in shaping the morphology, proliferation, and migration of PC cells. The results also showed that co-culture of PC cells with osteoblasts supported bone remodelling and activated MET processes for more stable colonisation. These investigations confirmed the ability of the scaffolds to simulate the interactions between tumours and stroma found in PC bone metastases. In conclusion, this thesis successfully introduced collagen-based scaffolds incorporating native ECM components (CS and HyA) as physiologically relevant 3D models for PC research. These models provided valuable insight into mechanisms driving PC progression, EMT, and therapeutic resistance while offering a platform for evaluating novel treatments, including gene therapy. The co-culture systems further expand their application to studying tumour-stroma and cell-cell interactions, particularly in bone metastasis, making it a valuable tool for in vitro studies for PC research.18 0Item Restricted Diagonal Approximations on Finite Regular CW Complexes: Theory, Implementation, and Applications(University of Galway, 2025-08) Alzobydi, Khaled Ahmad; Eills, GrahamWe describe an algorithm for recursively constructing diagonal approximations on finite regular CW-complexes where the closure of each cell can be explicitly collapsed to a point. The algorithm is based on the standard proof of the acyclic carrier theorem and is made constructive through the use of explicit contracting homotopies. We compare the algorithm’s output with existing diagonal approximations for the families of simplices, cubes, associahedra, and permutahedra20 0Item Restricted The Role of MyomiRs Oxidation on Muscle Wasting in Ageing and Cancer Cachexia(University of Galway, 2025-06) Aljuaid, Turki; Whysall, KataezynaProgressive loss of muscle mass and strength is a hallmark of ageing (sarcopenia) and disease, such as cancer (cachexia). Muscle atrophy and weakness are associated with increased risk of falls, frailty, worse cancer patient outcomes, and increased morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms of muscle loss are not fully understood due to complexity. Various cellular mechanisms have been demonstrated to underlie muscle loss, including changes in the expression of multiple genes. MicroRNAs (miRs), post-transcriptional gene expression regulators, are emerging as important regulators of skeletal muscle homeostasis, particularly due to their simultaneous targeting of multiple gene targets, supporting their role in regulating complex disorders like muscle loss. One of the hallmarks of ageing and cachexia is oxidative stress. Whilst DNA, protein, and lipid oxidation have been characterised in muscle ageing and disease, much less is understood about RNA oxidation, and in particular microRNA oxidation. RNA is more sensitive to oxidative damage than DNA, and products of RNA oxidation (8-oxo-guanine) have been detected in different conditions associated with muscle loss. microRNA oxidation could affect how microRNAs regulate their targets, as 8-oxo-guanine can bind to adenosine as well as uracil—this could dysregulate microRNA ability to bind to its targets or even acquire new targets. To date, oxidation of miRs has been demonstrated during cardiac disease. Oxidised miR-184 was implicated in promoting apoptosis in cardiomyocytes through targeting genes that the native miR-184 does not target, while oxidised miR-1 was associated with the development of cardiomyopathy through target misregulation. However, the oxidation of microRNAs, or the functional consequences of this process, has not been investigated in muscle before. This research examined whether microRNAs are oxidised in muscle during ageing and cancer cachexia and whether oxidised miRs contribute to muscle loss. I hypothesised that oxidation of miRs contributes to muscle loss during ageing and cachexia through dysregulation of microRNA gene targeting. This hypothesis was first tested in muscle samples from older people and mouse models of ageing and lung cancer cachexia. In muscle from older people and old and cachectic mice, differential expression and oxidation of miRs were demonstrated, and the functional consequences were further validated using C2C12 mouse muscle cells and immortalised human muscle cells. Small RNA sequencing identified several oxidised miRs, including miR-1, miR-133, and miR-206. These oxidised myomiRs, muscle-enriched miRs, had pronounced effects on myotube size: exposure of C2C12 myotubes to oxidised myomiRs resulted in changes in myotube size and altered the expression of multiple genes, including those associated with oxidative stress, protein degradation, and autophagy. In addition to human myotubes, myotube size and the protein levels associated with oxidised RNA were decreased. This supports the hypothesis that oxidised miRs, particularly myomiRs: miR-1, miR-133, and miR-206, may partially contribute to muscle atrophy through their regulation of key cellular processes: autophagy and oxidative stress response.9 0Item Restricted Voice Syncretism in Bedouin Hijazi Arabic: The Interplay of Language Acquisition and Contact(University College Cork, 2025) Almehmdi, Majidah; Doyle, AidanExplanations of linguistic change have long been regarded as a part of language acquisition. The connection between linguistic change and language acquisition stems from the assumption that children can cause change when they acquire a grammar that is divergent from that of adult speakers. Acquisition-based explanations of linguistic change put emphasis on exploring the internal causes of linguistic change that are triggered from inside the linguistic system. However, internal change through acquisition is also seen as the result of contact, that can change children’s input. Building on these views, the present thesis maintains that internal and external factors are not independent in linguistic change. In light of this, the thesis is concerned with how acquisition and contact can interplay in driving the emergence and spread of linguistic change. The present thesis suggests two scenarios for this interplay, through the investigation of generational variation that reflects a change in progress in the morphological marking of passive constructions among speakers of Bedouin Hijazi Arabic (BHA), a dialect spoken in the west of Saudi Arabia. The speakers belong to three age groups: old, middle-aged, and young. Data were collected from responses of 294 BHA speakers to an online questionnaire that was designed to assess their ability to distinguish morphosyntactically similar grammatical constructions in BHA that occur in different linguistic contexts, along with other questions that aim to elicit information about speakers’ intra- and inter-dialectal contact. The change in question is the replacement of the traditional internal passive by an affixed form. In the first scenario for explaining the emergence and spread of the affixed passive in BHA, the change is internally driven by the similarity in the surface structures between anticausative and passive constructions. This similarity can be a source of ambiguity that may motivate individuals during the language acquisition process to reanalyse anticausative structures as passives. This reanalysis process is affected by the type of the verb that surfaces with these structures and the type (i.e., animate or inanimate) of its grammatical subject. The findings of the present thesis demonstrate that anticausative structures that contain externally-caused verbs with inanimate subjects are very likely to be reanalysed as passive structures. This reanalysis is affected by the frequency of anticausative structures in comparison to the infrequency of passive structures among speakers of BHA. It is also very likely that the emergence of the affixed passive has been triggered by a process of analogical extension whereby the passive has become morphologically syncretic with in-morpheme structures in BHA. Contact with the adjoining Urban Hijazi Arabic (UHA), in which only the affixed passive is used, is believed to have played a role in accelerating the eventual acquisition and spread of the affixed passive that has been internally motivated by the verbal system of BHA. Contact with UHA has also functioned as a catalyst of change when the affixed passive is incorporated into children’s acquisition input. This has probably taken place through the middle-aged generation that started to use the affixed passive in their speech to their children. This is the second scenario for explaining the emergence and spread of the affixed passive in BHA. The findings of this thesis show that the middle-aged generation accepted both the internal passive and the affixed passive as acceptable forms of the passive voice. The acceptance of these variable forms among this generation is assumed to be due to their moderate contact with speakers of UHA. This contact has created a situation in which both internal and affixed passive forms coexist in BHA. Consequently, the acquisition input for the next generations has contained the local BHA internal passive and the non-local UHA affixed passive. Speakers who have more contact with UHA are likely to only acquire the affixed passive. The findings of this thesis show that the young generation of BHA had less exposure to the local internal passive form as a result of their low contact with the old generation of BHA. On the other hand, they had more exposure to the affixed passive through the variable input that they have received from their parents and through their moderate contact with UHA. The thesis assumes that the eventual change towards the complete loss of the internal passive will take place through language acquisition when the internal passive form disappears from the input which children are exposed to. This outcome will be the result of community-based acquisition, in which only one of the coexisting forms prevails in the community and eventually becomes the only form that is acquired by children. Therefore, a possible explanatory framework for linguistic change can be found in the interplay of contact and acquisition. The thesis is a contribution to the study of variation and change in dialects. It also hopes to provide an explanation for an aspect of Arabic studies that has received little attention in the literature up to now.91 0