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Stance and indexes of code-switching in the Egyptian novel Zaat

This sociolinguistic study examines stance and indexes of three linguistic codes in the Egyptian society: English, Standard Arabic (SA), and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA) by analyzing examples of code-switching (CS), in the Egyptian novel Zaat or Self by the Egyptian writer, Son’a Allah Ibrahim...

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Main Author: Soliman, Rasha
Format: Thesis
Published: AUC Knowledge Fountain 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author Soliman, Rasha
author_browse Soliman, Rasha
author_facet Soliman, Rasha
author_sort Soliman, Rasha
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy. The author has granted the American University in Cairo or its agents a non-exclusive license to archive this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study, and to make it accessible, in whole or in part, in all forms of media, now or hereafter known.
description This sociolinguistic study examines stance and indexes of three linguistic codes in the Egyptian society: English, Standard Arabic (SA), and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA) by analyzing examples of code-switching (CS), in the Egyptian novel Zaat or Self by the Egyptian writer, Son’a Allah Ibrahim. Zaat has a unique structure among other Arabic novels, meaning that all the odd-numbered chapters narrate the life of Zaat, the heroine, but even-numbered chapters reflect factual incidents that took place in Egypt during the rule of presidents Mohamed Anwar El Sadat and Mohamed Hosni Mubarak. The theory of indexicality (Bassiouney, 2012, 2013, 2014; Myers-Scotton, 2010; Woolard, 2004) was used to analyze data as well as linguistic resources, such as: presuppositions, intertextuality, and pronouns (Bassiouney, 2014). Application of the indexicality theory showed that in Egypt each linguistic code has several indexes that differ according to the situation. English for instance enjoys the positive indexes of (1) good education, (2) modernity, (3) social prestige, and (4) developed countries. On the other hand, it also has the negative index of conspiring with the West. As for SA, it also has positive indexes, such as: (1) authority, (2) literacy, (3) education, and (4) Islam; however it also has the negative index of being outdated. As far as ECA is concerned, it signals the following indexes; (1) daily interaction, (2) authenticity, and (3) belonging to Egyptian masses. These indexes assisted in identifying the stances characters took in the novel, whether towards each other or towards social events. In some examples, characters preferred to take the stance of belonging to a certain group by using its linguistic code, while in other situations characters resorted to CS as they sought divergence from a certain group. Characters also took various stances, such as, belonging to a higher social class and being more educated, powerful, or religious.
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institution American University in Cairo (Egypt)
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license_str Other — see source repository
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publishDate 2016
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spelling oai:fount.aucegypt.edu:etds-2593 Stance and indexes of code-switching in the Egyptian novel Zaat Soliman, Rasha This sociolinguistic study examines stance and indexes of three linguistic codes in the Egyptian society: English, Standard Arabic (SA), and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA) by analyzing examples of code-switching (CS), in the Egyptian novel Zaat or Self by the Egyptian writer, Son’a Allah Ibrahim. Zaat has a unique structure among other Arabic novels, meaning that all the odd-numbered chapters narrate the life of Zaat, the heroine, but even-numbered chapters reflect factual incidents that took place in Egypt during the rule of presidents Mohamed Anwar El Sadat and Mohamed Hosni Mubarak. The theory of indexicality (Bassiouney, 2012, 2013, 2014; Myers-Scotton, 2010; Woolard, 2004) was used to analyze data as well as linguistic resources, such as: presuppositions, intertextuality, and pronouns (Bassiouney, 2014). Application of the indexicality theory showed that in Egypt each linguistic code has several indexes that differ according to the situation. English for instance enjoys the positive indexes of (1) good education, (2) modernity, (3) social prestige, and (4) developed countries. On the other hand, it also has the negative index of conspiring with the West. As for SA, it also has positive indexes, such as: (1) authority, (2) literacy, (3) education, and (4) Islam; however it also has the negative index of being outdated. As far as ECA is concerned, it signals the following indexes; (1) daily interaction, (2) authenticity, and (3) belonging to Egyptian masses. These indexes assisted in identifying the stances characters took in the novel, whether towards each other or towards social events. In some examples, characters preferred to take the stance of belonging to a certain group by using its linguistic code, while in other situations characters resorted to CS as they sought divergence from a certain group. Characters also took various stances, such as, belonging to a higher social class and being more educated, powerful, or religious. 2016-01-17T08:00:00Z thesis application/pdf https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/1557 https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/2593/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy. The author has granted the American University in Cairo or its agents a non-exclusive license to archive this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study, and to make it accessible, in whole or in part, in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. Theses and Dissertations AUC Knowledge Fountain Stance indexicality
spellingShingle Stance
indexicality
Soliman, Rasha
Stance and indexes of code-switching in the Egyptian novel Zaat
title Stance and indexes of code-switching in the Egyptian novel Zaat
title_full Stance and indexes of code-switching in the Egyptian novel Zaat
title_fullStr Stance and indexes of code-switching in the Egyptian novel Zaat
title_full_unstemmed Stance and indexes of code-switching in the Egyptian novel Zaat
title_short Stance and indexes of code-switching in the Egyptian novel Zaat
title_sort stance and indexes of code switching in the egyptian novel zaat
topic Stance
indexicality
url https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/1557
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/2593/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT solimanrasha stanceandindexesofcodeswitchingintheegyptiannovelzaat