Linguistic negotiation of place identity in a changing Tel Aviv neighborhood.

The Tel Aviv neighborhood of HaTikva, originally home mostly to Mizrahi Jews, has undergone a considerable demographic shift in recent years. This paper discusses the narratives of Mizrahi longtime residents of the neighborhood, who are uncomfortable with the recent changes. Focusing on a micro-analysis of the stylistic variation in two interviews, the results show that the voiced pharyngeal approximant (ʕ), a linguistic feature strongly associated with Mizrahi identity, is used in the construction of place identity, by reinforcing the links between these speakers' Mizrahi identity and their status as authentic residents of the neighborhood. • Residents of South Tel Aviv are experiencing a rapid change in their neighborhood. • Linguistic resources are utilized to construct an authentic place identity. • (ʕ), a linguistic feature associated with ethnicity, is used to index place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]