Encyclopedia of Arabic Language and Linguistics

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Language Shift: Amazigh
(6,332 words)

1. Introduction

The term ‘language shift’ refers to the change from the habitual use of one language to that of another. This implies that a community gives up a language in favor of another one. When shift has taken place, members of the community are said to have collectively chosen a new language instead of their native one (Fasold 1984). This is, in fact, a common result of extensive language contac…

Cite this page
Yamina El Kirat el Allame, “Language Shift: Amazigh”, in: Encyclopedia of Arabic Language and Linguistics, Managing Editors Online Edition: Lutz Edzard, Rudolf de Jong. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1570-6699_eall_EALL_COM_vol2_0090>
First published online: 2011
First print edition: ISBN: 9789004177024, 20090831



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