Arabic-English Code-Switching as a Means of Communication Among Speakers of Different Arabic Varieties

Researches have shown that code-switching (CS) between Arabic (L1) and English (L2) is used as a common method of communication among Arab speakers descended from various Arab nations. Recently, the issue of Arabic-English CS has seized the attention of the researchers in the field of sociolinguistics. As a social phenomenon, Arabic-English CS has become a convenient tool for communication among the speakers of different Arabic varieties. According to previous research, Arabic-English CS appeared as a communication strategy either between Arabic-English bilinguals or Arab English learners. Yet, the functions of Arabic-English CS among the speakers of different Arabic varieties who have different proficiency levels in their Standard Arabic language were not enough discussed in the literature. Thus, this study investigated the phenomenon of Arabic-English CS as a significant communication device among speakers of different Arabic varieties and also explored how the proficiency level in the Standard Arabic language, along with the difficulty of understanding some Arabic varieties caused the process of Arabic-English CS. The study data followed three different data methods: interviews, observations and questionnaire. Eighty- seven Arabic speakers aged 18 – 50, who are non-English bilinguals participated in the study. Data analysis revealed that Arabic-English CS is a functional interactional device for the speakers who belong to different Arabic varieties. Also, the level of use/ occurrence for Arabic-English CS varied considerably according to the different factors related to interaction setting, linguistic knowledge of the interlocutors and the cause of the dialogue.