Some aspects of Sociolinguistic Variation in Tlemcen Speech community: Urban Dialect of Tlemcen Town and Rural Dialect of Beni Semiel

Abstract

The present research work is an attempt to analyse the sociolinguistic situation of Tlemcen which is an Algerian Town and Beni semiel one of its outskirts a village in Tlemcen province in northwestern Algeria. The main purpose of this research work is to try to describe some linguistic features characterizing the speech community of Beni Semiel and Tlemcen. The research work consists of three chapters. The first one provides definitions of key concepts related to the research work. The second chapter draws an overall picture of the sociolinguistic situation of Algeria in general then of Tlemcen and Beni semiel. The third chapter provides a description of the linguistic aspects of the areas under investigation. It also illustrates the linguistic features of each area and how they differ from each other and also in the same area in relation to age, gender, and level of education and language attitude in language variation. Data were collected through using a questionnaire and observation. The results were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings have revealed that the population mobility and the social factors, such as gender, age, level of education and language attitudes have affected language use in Tlemcen and Beni Semiel.