Abstract
ode-switching is a sociolinguistic phenomenon that refers to the shift between various languages in speaking or writing and it is employed by speakers or authors for different linguistic, social and political reasons. This study examines the significance of code-switching in the formulation of diasporic identity in the Syrian poet and translator Abed Ismael's translation of the Jordanian-British author Fadia Faqir's My Name Is Salma (2007). The researchers propose that authors in diaspora use code-switching so as to return home linguistically/textually. However, we argue that the use of code-switching poses problems in the translation of the source text. -The methodology in this study follows a descriptive approach to analyze data concerning code-switching that Faqir employs in the original novel and their translations by Ismael. The researchers classify and list the codes used by both writers and study the connections between them. Faqir’s usage of code switching is based on her construction of Arab culture as a culture of shame, which is foreign to the English culture. Via the employment of code switching, Ismael also shows that everything is foreign for Salma in England. Exoticism and fragmentation lead to a state of indecisiveness and in-betweenness that demands sacrificing identity, language, and even home.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call