Title: DUAL DIGLOSSIA IN MOROCCO: A NEW SOCIOLINGUISTIC SITUATION
Authors: Fathi, S., Morocco
Abstract:

Morocco is a multilingual society in which a variety of languages harmoniously co-exist. The HIGH COMMISSION OF PLANNING (HCP) states that there are 7 languages used in Morocco, which are, according to their number of users: Moroccan Arabic, Tashelhit, Tamazight, Tarifit and Hassani, together with French and Spanish. While being multilingual, Morocco is also a diglossic nation in Ferguson’s terms, with two varieties of the same language, namely, Standard Modern Arabic and Moroccan Arabic. Today, Morocco is gradually shifting from a diglossic nation toward a unique sociolinguistic situation of “Dual Diglossia”. In other words, two situations of diglossia will have to coexist: on the one hand, Diglossia 1 that is already in place between Standard Modern Arabic (HV) and Moroccan Arabic (LV); on the other hand, Diglossia 2 that is being phased in between Standard Moroccan Berber, officially labeled Standard Moroccan Tamazight (HV) and Moroccan Berber (LV) with its three main varieties, Tashelhit, Tamazight and Tarifit.

Keywords: Bilinguilism, Tamazight, de facto, Tashelhit, de jure, Diglossia, Tarifit, language
planning, Moroccan Arabic, language policy, multilingualism, national language, Standard
Modern Arabic, official language, Standard Tamazight, dual Diglossia.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59009/ijlllc.2024.0078
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