Language Choice and Romanization Online by Lebanese Arabic Speakers

Bou Tanios, Jennifer

Language Choice and Romanization Online by Lebanese Arabic Speakers

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Citation

Bou Tanios, J. Language Choice and Romanization Online by Lebanese Arabic Speakers. 2016. handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10230/27669

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Abstract

This paper investigates language use online by speakers of Lebanese Arabic, focusing in particular on their language choice in online contexts, and the Romanization of this variety of Arabic. Three Lebanese Arabic speakers with different linguistic backgrounds were interviewed, and samples of their online activities were collected and analysed. The findings show that the language choice of Lebanese Arabic speakers online generally resembles their offline linguistic practices and preferences, with Lebanese Arabic maintaining its informal character online in contrast with English and Standard Arabic, and displaying code-mixing among youth. The results also show that Romanization is inconsistent among speakers, and that one possible factor causing this inconsistency is the speaker's L2.