Van Immigratie Tot Etnolect

Abstract

Ethnolects can be defined as language varieties determined by ethnicity. The ethnolect is especially attributed to the descendants of immigrants. This variety emerges from a language shift situation and takes over the symbolic function from the original language as a marker of ethnicity. The features of ethnolects can be explained by processes involving second language acquisition and bilingualism, namely interlanguage and transfer from the original language. The Moroccan ethnolect in Nijmegen is distinguished primarily by phonological and morphosyntactical features and less by the lexicon. Most of the phonological features can be explained as transfer from Moroccan Arabic and Tarifit Berber. The morphosyntactic and lexical features are due to acquisition processes. There is also an influence from the Nijmegen city dialect on the ethnolect, mainly in pronunciation.