18-Abderrazzaq MSELLEK-Sociolinguistic Aspects of Moroccan Arabic PDF
18-Abderrazzaq MSELLEK-Sociolinguistic Aspects of Moroccan Arabic PDF
Abderrazzaq Msellek
University of Fs/Morocco
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Is it true that MA is a just language of home and street? Or there are other
communicative domains that MA also covers? Ill give The answer of this
questions , when I first illustrate the status of MA.
1. Status of Moroccan Arabic
In opposite to Standard Arabic that is the official Language of Morocco since
the independence and Berber that become official Language as SA in the last
constitution, Moroccan Arabic is considered as an unofficial Language. Then
MA is a language of everyday conversation which is neither codified nor
standardized, in contrast to SA that is codified, standardized and a written
language. Additionally, MA is not a homogeneous language in form, as
various Moroccan Arabic dialects are spoken in various geographical areas of
Morocco.3
2. Communicative function of Moroccan Arabic
Moroccan Arabic is usually used to express basic needs and everything the
Moroccan people every day does: bay something, make a reservation,
change money at the bank etc. This means that MA is only the expression
side of language used. The other side is the side of the content expressed.
Thus, Moroccan Arabic builds the social and geographic dimension of
Arabic in Morocco. Coupled with functional dimension it gives us that what
we can call Moroccan Arabic for every day or Moroccan everyday-language.
Everyday life can be also dialectal expressed. Moroccan Dialects are spoken
in cities, villages, and in mountains. They are local and too limited, in
Opposite to Moroccan Arabic that is regional and considered as lingua
franca. This means that Moroccan Arabic is not only everyday-Language, but
it expresses various contents from other domains like domain of literature,
business, religion, sport etc.
3. Domains of use and realization forms of Moroccan Arabic
The domains of use of MA, as has been pointed out, are many and different:
a wide spectrum that begins with everyday life and ends with economy,
science, philosophy, religion, literature, and law. The following diagram can
explain this fact very clearly:
Now if we want to treat the linguistic Features of Moroccan Arabic, we can say
that MA has, compared with Standard Arabic, great differences that we would
like to explain as follows:
According to Ennajis study, MA has a regular phonology, a simple
morphology, an abundant lexicon, and a great variety of styles.4
Phonology
The sound system of MA differs from that of SA in that MA has five short
vowels and three long ones, while SA has only three short vowels and three long
ones. The influence of foreign language, especially French, on MA is here
visible. Then the two vowels /e/ and /o/ are to find in French loan as /militer/ or
/gome/. In contrast to SA, MA has the consonants /p, v, g/ which shows once
more the result of language contact between MA and French. Otherwise, SA and
MA have generally the same inventory of phonemes and distinctive features.5
Morphology
MA lacks the dual and the feminine dual and plural forms that SA contents. MA
is less complex in inflection Than SA.
Syntax
SA has basically a Verb-Subject-Object order. MA has a dominant SubjectVerb-Object order. The word order in MA is not so restricted as in SA.
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Lexicon
MA is much influenced by SA lexicon. The structure of a lot of words in MA
shows clearly the influence of Berber. For example, a number of MA nouns take
the Berber feminine discontinuous affix tt or ta.t as in taxaddart, tabaqqalt.
These terms express a state, an action or an occupation.6 MA uses also many
Berber loan words.
5. The future of Moroccan Arabic
Is MA in fact eine Sprache im Werden? Is it envisaged and possible that MA
one day became a Standard language that we will speak from Standard
Moroccan? Or has MA really no chance against Standard Arabic?
There are two reasons for the negative answer to these questions:
1. The diglossial situation in Morocco implicates that we have a high variety
and a low variety from Arabic. SA is the high variety und MA is the low
variety. I dont see und also understand how and why the low variety will
be standardized und codified. I think SA and MA are structural different,
but they are in the same time communicative value equivalent.
2. SA that embodies a great literary tradition and is always associated with
Islam and its holy book is revered by rich, poor, educate and illiterate
alike as the linguistic jewel in the Islamic cultural patrimony. It is
regarded as the inimitable apogee of perfection, unsurpassable in beauty,
an ethereal ideal of eloquence, perfect symmetry, and succinctness.7
Ennaji argue that Moroccans consider in fact SA as a prestigious language
and the only form worth learning in schools, and MA a corrupt and vulgar
dialect8.
This strong relationship between Moroccans and SA lead me to believe
that MA has really no chance to be codified and standardized. MA will
stay the predominant spoken Language that is particularly used in
informal settings and in everyday activities.
Ennaji p : 86
Holes, Clive : Modern Arabic
2004, Georgetown University Press , p: 5
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Ennaji ; p : 69
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