35.1757, Review: Codeswitching as an Index and Construct of Sociopolitical Identity: Kheir (2023)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-35-1757. Wed Jun 12 2024. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 35.1757, Review: Codeswitching as an Index and Construct of Sociopolitical Identity: Kheir (2023)

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Date: 13-Jun-2024
From: Kim Nguyen [ktn92 at nau.edu]
Subject: General Linguistics: Kheir (2023)


Book announced at https://linguistlist.org/issues/34.2279

AUTHOR: Eva A. Kheir
TITLE: Codeswitching as an Index and Construct of Sociopolitical
Identity
SUBTITLE: The Case of the Druze and Arabs in Israel
PUBLISHER: Brill
YEAR: 2023

REVIEWER: Kim Nguyen

SUMMARY

As political tension continues to mount in Israel and Gaza, ancient
tribalism, evolving cultural boundaries, and sociopolitical identities
confound those outside the region watching the violence unfold. A
small group seemingly, sociopolitically caught in the middle is a
centuries-old, tightly-knit, non-proselytizing religious community
called the Druze. Its members who reside in Israel identify
nationalistically as Israeli Druze but speak Palestinian Arabic (PA)
as a first language. Dr. Eve Afifa Kheir, an Israeli Druze herself,
seeks to clarify the sociopolitical identity of her people whose
identifiable codeswitching between PA and Israeli Hebrew is the
subject of this review. Using historical timelines, case studies, and
codeswitching models, Kheir discusses the Druze in the context of who
they are, where they are, and why they communicate the way they do. To
students and scholars of linguistics, anthropology, or history, this
book was written to appreciate the intricacies of the Druze split
language and the identity it carries.

Chapter 1 provides a foundational overview of codeswitching within the
field of linguistics and language research; this explanation includes
the discussion of influential and sociolinguistic codeswitching
models. The author then delivers an objective timeline of what is now
modern-day Israel, dating back to the 1880s, followed by the history
of the Druze religion and its members. Finally, there is a comparison
between the experiences of Arabs and the Druze in Israel and how
codeswitching is the Druze method of identifying themselves and
relating to others.

Chapter 2 breaks down the formation and continual development of this
distinct, split language that is an unofficial combination of PA with
frequent use of Israeli Hebrew. The author specifies that while the
Druze speak PA and share cultural similarities with Israeli Arabs,
Israeli Druze are neither considered a part of the Arab sector nor do
they consider themselves to be Muslim. This chapter goes on to dissect
the PA vernacular, its grammatical structures, and provides
codeswitching examples of when Hebrew elements appeared in Arabic, a
mixed language the author refers to as Israbic (a portmanteau of
Israeli Arabic).

Chapter 3 begins with an analysis of Israbic using specifically
described criteria to determine whether or not it is a mixed language
that derives from codeswitching. Though the author opines that there
is no perfect universal model for making this determination, she also
notes that the creation of a mixed language typically stems from a
distinct group that speaks two languages and whose members opt to
distinguish themselves linguistically from those two communities.
Therefore, Israbic was not developed to satisfy a communicative need
but rather as a tool of identity construction. Subsequent
codeswitching examples in the chapter illustrate the different
morphological forms in some varieties but the main discussion focuses
on whether Israbic is considered a mixed language and the models,
components, and structures that make it so (or not so).

Chapter 4 is a case study drawing comparisons between the language
behaviors of three Palestinian Arabic-speaking communities in Israel:
Christian Arabs, Muslims, and the Druze. The correlation of their
sociopolitical identity with when and how they codeswitch provides a
framework for our understanding and analysis, a model the author calls
“The Identity Code Model” (henceforth ICM). Testing the hypotheses of
the model against these three communities in question is designed to
reveal the sociopolitical motivations in codeswitching and how
bilingualism fares in conflict surroundings. The Druze may have
welcomed codeswitching as a sign of warmth for their Israeli identity
and their wish for distinction from Israeli Arabs, but the Christian
Arabs and Muslims resisted any sort of codeswitching to include
Israeli Hebrew.

Chapter 5 examines a case study on the link between language and
identity. While Druze in Israel consider themselves a community that
is equal parts both Israeli and Arab, the Druze of Golan Heights
(having migrated from Syria in 1967 following a war) is a community
stuck between nationalistic pride for Syria or for Israel. Despite
their religious commonality, the history that distinguishes Druze from
those around them is what creates a national identity and perhaps even
a new language. Here, the author also provides examples to distinguish
how the Druze from Israel and the Druze of Golan Heights speak but
also to illustrate the interrelatedness of the two dialects.

Chapter 6 offers some discussion of the contributions this book has
made or will make to the field, namely the exploration of an
under-researched minority like the Druze. With a chapter by chapter
summary, the author clarifies yet again the sociopolitical identity of
each group, helpfully distinguishing each group’s history, present,
language, and sociopolitical identity, as well as what sort of
research could springboard off of this author’s work. Kheir takes the
opportunity to inform her readers about suggestions for future
research and even how to use her research to delve into other related
topics.

EVALUATION

This book delivers an objective look at the complicated history of the
region and offers some insight into the various conflicting tribes,
communities, and groups in Israel and how they manage to coexist. The
factual insight into Israel’s history, as well as a detached approach
to explaining why things are the way they are, why certain groups
resent others, and why a language sounds the way it does, inter alia,
sheds some light onto a dynamic political situation that often lends
itself to bias for understandable reasons. The author’s historical
account by far distinguishes it from other books explaining similar
conflicts. Kheir’s lucid writing reads like a story, easy to
comprehend despite unfamiliar references to titles, laws, and wars.
Her detailed descriptions make Druze customs, traditions, beliefs, and
practices feel familiar and not so distant.

The novelty of studying and publishing an empirical study about an
under-researched group like the Druze deserves praise. Even though
Kheir is a Druze herself, she is to be lauded for the achievement of
completing the mere task of collecting data about a group that
seemingly tries to keep its secrets secret, and, moreover, for
comparing  them to other groups that may or may not have appreciated
the comparison in a region where conflicts or resentment of any kind
could result in more violence. Kheir’s empirical study has the
fascinating quality of a documentary!

One suggestion to improve an already great, informative book would be
perhaps to produce a follow-up study regarding any recent developments
in the region and how the discussed groups in the research are faring.
Kheir mentions in Chapter 6 that she had recently discovered the
younger generation of the Druze of Golan Heights had in fact begun
developing a new language. An update such as that one, especially
knowing about recent events in the region, would be interesting. In
sum, Kheir has written an excellent overview of history in the Druze
region and an interesting contact language study.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Kim Thien Nguyen is PhD student of Applied Linguistics at Northern
Arizona University. Her research interests include SLA and language
pedagogy, LESLLA learners, and the language learning experience of
refugees and migrants.



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