Talk: Moroccan Darija: Sociocultural and Psychological Motivations for Code-switching

Code-switching—the alternation between two or more linguistic varieties within a single discourse event—remains a defining feature of multilingual communities. In Morocco, this phenomenon unfolds amid a complex interplay of languages including Darija, Modern Standard Arabic, French, Amazigh, and occasionally English or Spanish. This talk investigates the socio-cultural and psychological motivations that underlie code-switching practices among Moroccan Darija speakers. Drawing on prior sociolinguistic theories, the study proposes that while translanguaging is a familiar norm in Morocco’s multilingual ecology, the motivations behind language choice often operate beneath the level of conscious awareness. The analysis aims to uncover systematic patterns in the forms and functions of code-switching, shaped by situational and communicative factors. By examining these patterns, the talk offers insights into how language use in Morocco reflects broader issues of identity, power, and social alignment.

Drawing from foundational definitions of code-switching as the use of two or more linguistic varieties within a single speech event (Woolard 2004), we start with the assumption that language choices are not random but follow discernible patterns influenced by both internal and external factors. These include speaker identity, audience design, topic, power relations, and perceived prestige of the language varieties in use. Furthermore, psychological elements such as speaker intention, emotional expression, and subconscious language preference are considered essential to understanding why certain switches occur in particular contexts.
We will explore how Moroccan speakers employ code-switching as a form of translanguaging, responding flexibly to communicative demands while also negotiating social alignment and group belonging. I will be preliminary hypotheses regarding patterns in language choice and switching behavior, based on situational and communicative cues, which will allow for reflexion on how speakers may internalize translanguaging norms while remaining unaware of the underlying motives for their language behavior.

Info

Day: 2025-05-17
Start time: 16:00
Duration: 00:30
Room: GWZ 2.116
Track: Sociolinguistics
Language: en

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