Publisher's Synopsis
Those familiar with a bilingual community may be aware of the passionate reactions bilingualism can inspire in those who experience it. The Arabic-French bilingualism examined here, for instance, has been both denigrated as the root of many social and psychological problems and glorified as a source of enrichment which gives the Moroccan the benefits of two separate cultures. This book attempts to counter-balance previous highly emotional discussions by looking at the phenomenon from a more objective viewpoint, using various data-gathering methods, while still preserving the insights which are perhaps available only to a Moroccan who has lived the conflicts of bilingualism in his everyday life. It looks at the bilingual's attitudes towards his two languages and the roles each language plays in Moroccan society, showing that these may affect the way a bilingual is perceived by others and his own view of the world The book considers the implications of these attitudes for future language planning in Morocco, where Arabization is in progress and for other bilingual countries. It should be of interest, not only to those concerned with bilingual education or language planning, but to all who have experienced the conflicts of bilingualism themselves, or who are in contact with a bilingual community.
