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Socio-Pragmatic Functions of Algerian Arabic/French Code-Switching: The Case of Tlemcen Speech Community

Received: 27 July 2017     Accepted: 14 August 2017     Published: 10 January 2018
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Abstract

This work is a micro-sociolinguistic investigation of Code-switching (hereinafter, CS) in an Algerian context. It attempts to point out the socio-pragmatic functions of Algerian Arabic/French CS among adult bilinguals in Tlemcen speech community. The present investigation aims at showing the different instances of CS that occur in distinct settings and in daily conversations, in particular occurrences that may not always be interpreted literally as speakers say what they do not really mean. This work relies mainly on Gumperz’s notion of ‘contextualisation cues’ that views CS as a communicative strategy to achieve certain socio-pragmatic functions. Moreover, it seeks out the fundamental reasons for which the bilingual speakers participating in this study may alternate either consciously or sub-consciously between the two genetically unrelated languages. A qualitative method is used to gather reliable data that are analysed as objectively as possible. The results show that the occurrence of CS differs from one case to another and is closely related to bilinguals. It is a discourse strategy used by speakers to communicate effectively and in certain cases it is mostly influenced by social aspects like the context, participants, the topic, and by social dimensions like status, solidarity, formality and functions.

Published in International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 5, Issue 3-1)

This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Arabic Sociolinguistics

DOI 10.11648/j.ijll.s.2017050301.17
Page(s) 51-57
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2018. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Bilingualism, Code-Switching, Motivation, Socio-Pragmatic Functions

References
[1] Auer, P. (1984). Bilingual Conversation. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
[2] Auer, P. (1998). Code-switching in Conversation: Language, Interaction, and Identity. London: Routledge.
[3] Blom, J., & Gumperz, J. J. (1972). Social meaning in linguistic Structures: Code-switching in Norway. In J. J. Gumperz & D. Hymes (Eds.), Directions in sociolinguistics (pp. 407-434). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
[4] Coulmas, F. (2005). Sociolinguistics: The study of speaker’s choices. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.
[5] Fishman, J. A. (1965). “Who speaks what language to whom and when?” La Linguistique 2, 67-88.
[6] Gardner-Chloros, P. (2009). Code-Switching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[7] Gumperz, J. J. (1982). Discourse strategies. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
[8] Holmes, J. (2001). An Introduction to Sociolinguistics2nd Edition. England:Pearson Education Limited.
[9] Holmes, J. (2013). An Introduction to Sociolinguistics4th Edition. England:Pearson Education Limited.
[10] McClure, E. (1988). The relationship between form and function in written national English language codeswitching: Evidence from Mexico, Spainand Bulgaria. In J. Jacobsen (Ed.), Code-switching Worldwide (pp.125- 150). Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
[11] Myers-Scotton, C. (1988). Codeswitching as indexical of social negotiation. In M. Heller (ed.) Codeswitching: Anthropological and SociolinguisticPerspectives. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. 151-186.
[12] Myers-Scotton, C. (1993). Social Motivations for Codeswitching: Evidence from Africa. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
[13] Myers-Scotton, C. (1998). Codes and Consequences: Choosing Linguistic Varieties. New York: Oxford University Press.
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  • APA Style

    Amina Benguedda. (2018). Socio-Pragmatic Functions of Algerian Arabic/French Code-Switching: The Case of Tlemcen Speech Community. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 5(3-1), 51-57. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.s.2017050301.17

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    ACS Style

    Amina Benguedda. Socio-Pragmatic Functions of Algerian Arabic/French Code-Switching: The Case of Tlemcen Speech Community. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2018, 5(3-1), 51-57. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.s.2017050301.17

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    AMA Style

    Amina Benguedda. Socio-Pragmatic Functions of Algerian Arabic/French Code-Switching: The Case of Tlemcen Speech Community. Int J Lang Linguist. 2018;5(3-1):51-57. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.s.2017050301.17

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijll.s.2017050301.17,
      author = {Amina Benguedda},
      title = {Socio-Pragmatic Functions of Algerian Arabic/French Code-Switching: The Case of Tlemcen Speech Community},
      journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
      volume = {5},
      number = {3-1},
      pages = {51-57},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.s.2017050301.17},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.s.2017050301.17},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.s.2017050301.17},
      abstract = {This work is a micro-sociolinguistic investigation of Code-switching (hereinafter, CS) in an Algerian context. It attempts to point out the socio-pragmatic functions of Algerian Arabic/French CS among adult bilinguals in Tlemcen speech community. The present investigation aims at showing the different instances of CS that occur in distinct settings and in daily conversations, in particular occurrences that may not always be interpreted literally as speakers say what they do not really mean. This work relies mainly on Gumperz’s notion of ‘contextualisation cues’ that views CS as a communicative strategy to achieve certain socio-pragmatic functions. Moreover, it seeks out the fundamental reasons for which the bilingual speakers participating in this study may alternate either consciously or sub-consciously between the two genetically unrelated languages. A qualitative method is used to gather reliable data that are analysed as objectively as possible. The results show that the occurrence of CS differs from one case to another and is closely related to bilinguals. It is a discourse strategy used by speakers to communicate effectively and in certain cases it is mostly influenced by social aspects like the context, participants, the topic, and by social dimensions like status, solidarity, formality and functions.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Socio-Pragmatic Functions of Algerian Arabic/French Code-Switching: The Case of Tlemcen Speech Community
    AU  - Amina Benguedda
    Y1  - 2018/01/10
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    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.s.2017050301.17
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijll.s.2017050301.17
    T2  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
    JF  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.s.2017050301.17
    AB  - This work is a micro-sociolinguistic investigation of Code-switching (hereinafter, CS) in an Algerian context. It attempts to point out the socio-pragmatic functions of Algerian Arabic/French CS among adult bilinguals in Tlemcen speech community. The present investigation aims at showing the different instances of CS that occur in distinct settings and in daily conversations, in particular occurrences that may not always be interpreted literally as speakers say what they do not really mean. This work relies mainly on Gumperz’s notion of ‘contextualisation cues’ that views CS as a communicative strategy to achieve certain socio-pragmatic functions. Moreover, it seeks out the fundamental reasons for which the bilingual speakers participating in this study may alternate either consciously or sub-consciously between the two genetically unrelated languages. A qualitative method is used to gather reliable data that are analysed as objectively as possible. The results show that the occurrence of CS differs from one case to another and is closely related to bilinguals. It is a discourse strategy used by speakers to communicate effectively and in certain cases it is mostly influenced by social aspects like the context, participants, the topic, and by social dimensions like status, solidarity, formality and functions.
    VL  - 5
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Author Information
  • Department of English, Faculty of Letters and Languages, Abou Ba

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