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Modern Standard Arabic in Algerian Newspapers: Shuruq and El Khabar

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Modern Standard Arabic in Algerian Newspapers: Shuruq and El Khabar PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ALGERIA MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ABOU BAKR BELKAID UNIVERSITY, TLEMCEN FACULTY OF LETTERS AND FOREIGN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE Modern Standard Arabic in Algerian Newspapers: Shuruq and El Khabar Thesis Submitted to the Department of English Language in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctorate in Sociolinguistics Presented by: Supervised by: Mrs Fatima Nor El Houda DAHOU Pr. Ilhem SERIR Board of Examiners: Pr. Zoubir DENDANE University of Tlemcen Chairman Pr. Ilhem SERIR University of Tlemcen Supervisor Pr. Noureddine GUERROUJ University of Sidi Bel Abbès Examiner Dr. Mohamed DIB University of Mascara Examiner Dr. Ghania OUAHMICHE University of Oran Examiner Dr. Nassim NEGADI University of Tlemcen Examiner Academic Year: 2017 Declaration of Originality I, the undersigned, am the author of this doctoral thesis entitled “Modern Standard Arabic in Algerian Newspapers: Shuruq and El Khabar”. I hereby declare that I am the only responsible for the research work submitted in this thesis, that the original work is my own except as specified in citations, footnotes or references, and that it does not contain any form of plagiarism. Mrs. Dahou Fatima Nor El Houda Dedication To my parents, who have been the best experts in raising our intellect, and who must be very proud of the four doctors they have made. To everyone who reaches this thesis for the sake of scientific research. Acknowledgements Foremost, I would like to sincerely thank my supervisor, Pr. Ilhem Serir, for her motivation, support, patience and enormous help. With her great experience at scientific research, her mastery of MSA topics, her modesty and her devotion to work, she offered me so much inspiration when writing this thesis. I am also much grateful to the board of examiners, Pr. Zoubir Dendane, Pr. Noureddine Guerrouj, Dr. Mohamed Dib, Dr. Ghania Ouahmiche, and Dr. Nassim Negadi, who have kindly accepted to read this thesis, and who will surely add to its value through their precious remarks and insightful arguments. To the many people who have participated in the realisation of this thesis, I should say thank you very much. Among them I insist to cite: Pr. Mohammad Ali Salmani Nodoushan, from the University of Iran, who taught me how to be professional at research. Pr. Gloria Maguire, from Paris 8 University, who broadened my knowledge about media language and who generously helped me with bibliographical references. Dr. Malika Dahou, from the department of Communication at Abd El Hamid Ibn Badis University, who helped me a lot in collecting data, obtaining precious bibliographical references, and reaching journalists. Mr. Farouk Beghdadi, my partner and colleague at research and work, who generously supported me with his precious advice and assistance. The west regional directors of El Khabar and Echorouk, Mr. Lahcen Bourbia and Dr. Mohammed Hammadi, who did not hesitate to answer my research inquiries. All the journalists and newspaper readers who sincerely completed the questionnaires. Thank you very much Abstract The present research work addresses the reality of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) in the Algerian newspaper. Its objective’s emphasis is on the benefits and drawbacks that journalistic texts bring about to this language which remains a fundamental marker of Arabs and Algerians’ identity and position in the world. The work’s initial hypothesis suggests that in spite of the post independence journalists’ encouraging contribution to the policy of Arabisation, and despite their nationalist endeavour to spread MSA’s correct use, the linguistic interests of present-day journalists are narrow and show secondary if compared to other economic and socio-political ambitions. Nonetheless, it lies required to detect ways through which newspaper language becomes a reliable enhancement to the advance and prosperity of MSA in Algeria and the Arab world. In pursuance of attaining the sought objective, the research work is realized on the basis of both qualitative and quantitative methods to respectively: expose the present situation of MSA in the Arab world and Algeria, for the sake of identifying its sociolinguistic reality and problems; underline the service newspapers render to standard language in general; depict the qualities of their language, besides problems and difficulties facing it; and end with suggested recommendations to foster journalists’ commitment to the service of MSA. Results of the research work essentially demonstrate that the Algerian sociolinguistic scene, like the global Arab one, reflects intense problems of identity and linguistic insecurity coming under the effect of Arabs’ erroneous assimilation of the concepts “globalization” and “modernization”, in addition to language errors historically multiplied in language use. And although the renowned responsibility worldwide newspapers are attributed towards the standard language, the hypothesis is proved valid, considering the examined situation of MSA in the samples of Echorouk and El Khabar daily newspapers. Keywords: MSA, Arabic-language newspapers, identity, linguistic insecurity, language errors. Table of Contents Declaration of Originality ........................................................................................................I Dedication ..............................................................................................................................II Acknowledgements ...............................................................................................................III Abstract .................................................................................................................................IV Table of Contents...................................................................................................................V List of Phonetic Symbols of Arabic Sounds..........................................................................XI List of Tables .......................................................................................................................XII List of Figures and Charts.....................................................................................................XV General Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 Chapter One: The Present Situation of MSA in the Arab World and Algeria ...........................................................................................................................8 1.1.Introduction .....................................................................................................................9 1.2. Arabic Language throughout the History of Arabs ...........................................................9 1.2.1. The Situation of Arabic in its Earliest Stages .............................................................10 1.2.1.1. The Deep-rooted Origin of Arabic Language……………………………………….10 1.2.1.2. The Pre-Islamic period: The Era of Arabic Purity and Isolation.............................12 1.2.2. The Arabo-Islamic World Expansion: The Era of Spread and Standardisation of Classical Arabic ........................................................................................................14 1.2.3. Language Contact, the Birth of New Dialects and the Emergence of Middle Arabic: a First Threat to Arabic Language.................................................................................................17 1.2.3.1. The Appearance of New Dialects: Important Effects on Classical Arabic Pronunciation, Grammar and Vocabulary ........................................................................18 1.2.3.2. Middle Arabic: an Enrichment or a Disadvantage to the Situation of Classical Arabic? ..........................................................................................................................................19 1.2.4. The Emergence and Development of MSA................................................................22 1.3. Contemporary Arabic Language: Reality, Problems and Challenges ...................... ….....25 1.3.1. Diglossia and Multilingualism in Contemporary Arab World .......................................25 1.3.2. Contemporary Dialects of Arabic ...............................................................................28 1.3.3. Arabs’ Ambivalent Attitudes towards MSA and Dialectal Arabic............................... 30 1.3.4. The Colonizer’s Linguistic Imperialism and Arab Language Policies.......................... 31 1.3. 5.Globalization and Technology: a Real Challenge to Arabic ........................................34 1. 3.5.1. The Influence of Global English over Arabic .......................................................35 1.3.5.1.1. English as the First World Language ................................................................35 1.3.5.1.2. Arabic and Modern Technology .......................................................................39 1.3.5.1.3. Arabic, English and Contemporary Arab Culture and Identity .........................40 1.4. MSA in the Grand Maghreb and Algeria Today .............................................................42 1.4.1. Multilingualism in the Grand Maghreb ......................................................................42 1.4.1.1. Berber and Arabic in the Grand Maghreb ............................................................43 1.4.1.2. French in the Grand Maghreb ..............................................................................45
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