[4] DA is one of the most represented and researched Arabic dialects;[5] It has been researched or discussed by Grotzfeld,[6] Ambros (1977),[7] Cowell,[3] Cantineau and Helbaoui (1953),[8] Kuhnt (1958),[9] Kassab (1970),[10] Ferguson (1961),[11] Bloch (1964)[12] and (1965),[13] Bergsträsser (1924),[14] which also contains around fifty-pages worth of transcribed DA, and the twelve-volume course written by the US Defense Language Institute (1983).

It has however made its way to al-turath al-sha'bi in several pieces of literature, like Siham Turjuman's Yā māl al-Shām (only dialogues), Munīr Kayāl's Ḥikāyāt dimašqiyya (only dialogues) and Institut Francais du Proche-Orient's fifteen-volume Sirat Al-Malik Al-Zahir Baibars Hsab Al-Riwaya Al-Shamiyya (scattered).

[28][3] One of the most distinctive features of typical DA, which is most pronounced in the old quarters, is the lengthening of the last vowel of interrogative and exclamative sentences.

[29] This peculiar intonation has a 'sing-songy' feeling which leads some to call it as 'singing' rather than speaking when compared to Egyptian Arabic.

[31] Due to Syria's education in MSA and global communication, DA is experiencing changes towards classicalism, pseudo-classicalism, neologisms and journalese; local characteristics are rapidly being abandoned in favour of such uses.