ONOMASTICS ONLINE | Amin Almuhanna: Numeric Codes in the Arabian Peninsula

Keywords: Numeric codes, digital age, Badu, ethnonyms, identity Abstract: Since around 2000, some Kuwaiti youths of Bedouin ancestry have used three-digit numeric codes to refer to their tribes in computer-mediated communication and public areas. These digital nicknames are more functional in Internet-based searches than the polymorphous names of tribes. These self-given numeric codes represent an attempt by urbanized Badu youths to redefine their social identity in a modern setting. The fact that these codes apply to large groups, such as tribes, but not to smaller groups, such as families and clans, shows the importance of demographic factors in coining ethnonymic nicknames. The system of numeric codes is an active cultural phenomenon that has led to extensions across the region. While we focus primarily on Kuwait, we show that a whole youth subculture of three-digit codes referring to groups of people is developing in the Arabian Peninsula. Connect with the speaker: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/... Onomastics Online (ICOS – International Council of Onomastic Sciences) is a series of online lectures dealing with important timely topics related to names and naming. Presented by distinguished scholars from various academic backgrounds, the lectures demonstrate the importance and the multidisciplinary nature of onomastic research. To see the list of upcoming and past lectures, please visit our webpage at: https://icosweb.net/onomastics-online/. Previous lectures can be found on our YouTube channel:    / @theinternationalcouncilofo2460  . If you are interested in ICOS membership, please see the details here: https://icosweb.net/membership/member.... For updates and scholarly engagement, connect with us on any of our platforms: YOUTUBE    / @theinternationalcouncilofo2460   LINKEDIN   / 4081415   FACEBOOK   / icosweb   X https://x.com/ICOSnews