Is Libyan Arabic a corrupted language: A study of Libyans’ attitudes towards the use of Libyan Arabic (ҁa:mmijjah, dariʒah)

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the Libyans people’s attitudes towards the linguistic status and use of Libyan Arabic dialect (ҁa:mmijjah, dariʒah) as it is employed on a daily basis. Libyan Arabic is often denigrated and described as a corrupted, not codified and problematic language when assessed against fusˤћa:, the language of governmental affairs, religion, medium of instruction in schools and the official language of Libya. However, recent studies revealed that Libyan Arabic has crept into high domains exclusively reserved for Standard Arabic such as the mosque and the schools (1). In fact, some characters that are affiliated with and reserved for Modern Standard Arabic have been lent to Libyan Arabic via the process of “ideological elision” (14 p24). Accordingly, the current study examines the Libyans’ assessment of Libyan Arabic, its codification, its use in public domains, media, advertisements and whether this dialect is considered as a corrupted language in a diglossic setting. Sallabank (32 pp61-62) correlates language attitudes and ideologies with the way individuals perceive language vitality and practices and accordingly, with language policy. This paper also investigates how Libyan people perceive Libyan Arabic as an in-group marker and of identity. The results in the current study revealed that the Libyan people evaluated Libyan Arabic positively at not only the functional level but also at the symbolic level. Age group as a social factor turned to be descriptively significant since the younger age group showed more inclinations towards dariʒah.