اللغه وادوار النوع الاجتماعي في السودان

Abstract

Language shift from a local language to Arabic bilingualism to the exclusive use of Arabic is occurring in vernacular speech communities in Dilling town, in the Nuba Mountains. Females are further along in the direction of shift than males. ~Women in Dilling are increasingly attracted to Arabic for the practical function the language plays in their life. The growln`g role of women in the changing society of the Nuba Mountains has contributed much to the process of language shift among themselves, as they have to use Arabic (the sole /ingua franca of the area) in more domains of communication. Today, women participate aetl`vely in the soel.opolitical and soeioeeonofnf~e h.fe in the region. In this perspective women tend to move away from their tradl.tional domain, the house, to a more open and interactive settm`g. The paper confirms Gal's (1978) findings that women's speech choices may best be understood wl.thin the framework of their social status their life choice, and the symboh`e values of the code at their disposal.