School-Age Children and Arabic/French Bilingualism in Tlemcen Speech Community

Abstract

The current research work tackles the issue of bilingualism among schoolage children in the speech community of Tlemcen. It attempts to determine the extent to which children use French alongside AA in day-to-day conversations. The study also aims at identifying the types and functions of AA/French switching during the daily interactions of children aged between 6 and 10. In the end, the research points out the factors which influence alternation between the two languages, particularly the social ones, such as the child’s social upbringing and the linguistic environment in which s/he lives.