The sociolinguistics of learning: attitudinal patterns and implications (a case study of Moroccan diglossia)

Boussalhi, Abdelfattah (1991) The sociolinguistics of learning: attitudinal patterns and implications (a case study of Moroccan diglossia). PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The present dissertation is a study of the attitudinal patterns and educational implications particular to the diglossic relationship between MA and CA. This relationship is characterised by the sole implementation of CA and the exclusion of MA from the formal learning process. This is particularly significant if we consider that only MA is a naturally acquired language.

The first chapter is a review of the relevant aspects of sociolinguistic literature on the relationships between standard and nonstandard languages, and the treatment of linguistic diversity in general. The discussion centres around the importance of the notion of communicative competence, the different hypotheses on the social stratification of language, and the interpretation of linguistic differences. Other studies which are covered are those of attitudes towards languages and the particular impact of these on teachers and educational achievement, those of vernaculars, and, very briefly, those of language planning.

The second chapter discusses the various facets of general diglossic research, and particularly the distinctiveness of diglossia from other instances of linguistic relatedness and functional distribution. The second part of this chapter focuses on the particular situation of Arabic diglossia. Particular emphasis is placed on the attitudinal component of Arabic variation. The arguments of this chapter include those concerning the relativity of ESA to Arabic vernaculars, and those concerning the linguistic, historical, communicative, and national status of Arabic vernaculars.

The third chapter briefly describes the Moroccan educational system, and outlines its language policy. The nature of traditional Arabic linguistic studies is also discussed and compared to that of modern theories on language. The arguments include those concerning the relativity of CA studies to early Arabic grammatical tradition.

The fourth and fifth chapters are a study of attitudes towards MA and CA, on the basis of data obtained from the results of two questionnaires: one addressed to students and the other to teachers. The two chapters include a description of the results and their interpretation. These two chapters draw conclusions as to the nature of attitudinal patterns to MA-CA diglossia.

The fourth and fifth chapters are a study of attitudes towards MA and CA, on the basis of data obtained from the results of two questionnaires: one addressed to students and the other to teachers. The two chapters include a description of the results and their interpretation. These two chapters draw conclusions as to the nature of attitudinal patterns to MA-CA diglossia.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Sociolinguistics, linguistics, modern language, language.
• Subjects: P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities
• Supervisor's Name: Mattock, Professor J.N. and Simpson, Mr. J.M.Y.
• Date of Award: 1991
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1991-77047
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 14 Jan 2020 11:53
• Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 11:39
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.77047
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/77047