Chouaib Doukkali University

Faculty of Letters & Humanities

Borrowing in Moroccan Arabic

A mini-monograph submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the
“License” degree in English Studies

Submitted by: Supervised by

Aymane Bouhandi. Prof. Samir Dyouni

Academic Year: 2019/2020

 Dedications

To my Parents,

My Two sisters,

To all my friends and relatives,

With no expectations.
 Acknowledgement

First of all, thank God for the strength and patience that gave me to finish this monograph.

Second , I would like to seize this opportunity to express my gratitude and love to my

father ‘Bouhandi Abdelillah ‘and to my supervisor DR ‘ Diouny Samir ‘ who helped me

conduct this great piece of research .

Finally,I would also like to show my gratefulness to my mother ‘ Najat Hamza’, my two

sisters Salma and Douaa , and my friends who provided me with the limitless motivation

and support when I needed it the most .

 Abstract

Borrowing refers to the method in which speakers use words in their native tongue from a

different languages. The current study is designed to explore the word borrowing process in

Morocco. It explores the reasons driving Moroccans to use terms from foreign countries and

how they adjust into our dialect. Several methods have been used to achieve a reliable result:

many articles from Google engineer and previous research about the topic were read,

summed up and paraphrased as a methodology. The findings reveal that foreign-words

borrowings are either due to colonisation, geographical locations or overseas trades by

bilinguals . But borrowing words are now also found in the language of monolingual

speakers; sometimes they are even unaware of their source. Thus, the borrowing process

helped us to communicate more easily in’ ‘’Darija’’ with a colourful, vivid and explicit

language.

Keywords: Borrowing ,foreign-words ,bilingual ,monolingual speakers ,’’Darija ‘’, colourful

, explicit language .

1
 List of abbreviation

MA : Moroccan Arabic
Fre : French
Spa: Spanish

2
 Table of Contents :
General introduction ................................................................................................................... 2
1.Chapter I (Borrowing :A general view )
1.1-A general view of borrowing: ............................................................................................... 8
1.2-A general view of borrowing in Morocco: ............................................................................ 9
2.Chapter II (The classification of borrowing words according to the borrowed aspect )
2.1-Phonetic borrowings: .......................................................................................................... 13
2.2-Semantic borrowings: ......................................................................................................... 14
2.3-Morphemic borrowings : .................................................................................................... 15
2.4-Translation borrowings: ..................................................................................................... 15
3.Chapter III ( Borrowing procces)
3.1-Importation examples ......................................................................................................... 18
3.2-Substitution examples: ........................................................................................................ 19
3.3-Morphological adaptation: ................................................................................................. 22
3.4-Phonological adaptation: .................................................................................................. 22
Conclusion
References

3
 General introduction

Through ages, human contact has contributed to interaction and exchange in different

languages; therefore, their common impact is evident and produces certain improvements in the

languages' vocabulary, grammar syntax and phonetics. We may usually assume that, under the

influence of another vocabulary, the vocabulary of speakers (unconsciously) changes. Such

speakers come under the control of another language as there is something more "attractive" in

that language; an appeal that is generally correlated with the greater status of the speakers of

that language or its broader usage in the culture where both languages are used. At the end,

borrowing is a result of mutual interaction between two or more linguistic communities.

Every language or dialect in the world has dozens of features and characteristics. Among these

features, we find the ability of borrowing words from other languages to use in other context or

the same as its origins. In other words, borrowing is an adopted term which is completely or

partially naturalized from another language. It is also the mechanism by which words from

other languages take over and can be used with the same meaning in other languages.

As any language, Moroccan Arabic has also the quality of containing lot of terms from many

languages and dialects such as: Berber, Arabic, French, Spanish and Portuguese etc... This

mixture is the result of different factors.

Moroccan Arabic is among the dialects that speakers of other dialects have many troubles in

understanding. This is due to one of the most important characteristics of Moroccan ‘Darija’

which makes it hard to grasp for the speakers of other dialects - it is the vowel reduction: the

vowels are always reduced to ‘schwa’ or dropped because of the influence of the Amazigh

phonology on ‘Darija’.
2
This research paper will be divided into three main chapters:

 The first chapter will discuss Borrowing in general and in Morocco :

• A general view of borrowing.

• A general view of borrowing in Morocco.

 The second chapter will explore the classification of borrowed words with Moroccan

examples.

 Finally the last chapter will state some of the borrowing processes.

3
 LITERATURE REVIEW

4
Any language which is internationally dominant or used could be influenced by other

languages. A language can absorb other terms into its grammatical structure and use them. This

type of phenomenon is called borrowing.

Borrowing is the act of adopting or importing terms from a language into another one. This

means it is a way to find terms from certain languages in other languages of the same

significance in other languages. In the light of this borrowing means bringing into the

vocabulary words or sentences that do not belong to the common language. Based on Romaine

(1995:56) and Baker (2001:01). Romaine (1995:142) also claimed that borrowing may be

either caused by the lack of other terms or phrases in the recipient language such as cultural

practices, food, clothes, structures and principles, i.e. When we have trouble seeking words to

speak in our mother tongue, we use other languages to express our needs.

In his book, The Analysis of Linguistic Borrowing, Haugen (1950: 212), defined borrowing as

“the attempted reproduction in one language of patterns previously found in another’’. In other

terms, language loan means the transfer of linguistic items from one language system to

another at any time during a period when two cultures get in touch. Haugen (1950) also

established two mechanisms for word borrowing, importation and substitution.

Importation is when the entire word is imported from the original language without modifying

its features into the target language. Whereas, in substitution some changes in form and

pronunciation may happen.

Words borrowed from another language or referred to as the donor language are typically

adapted on the basis of the grammatical rule, both phonologically and morphologically of the

recipient language.

5
As far as this piece of research is concerned, the borrowing mechanism in Moroccan Arabic

does not vary from any other world country; they all follow a similar pattern; in this regard,

Jendra (2010:81) states that in addition to selecting, switching, and mixing some codes, a

bilingual frequently borrows lexical items from another language and uses it in his or her

pronunciation. Borrowing foreign words in a specific language does not require a high degree

of fluency.

Borrowed products can be listed into three types — loanwords, loan blends, and loan shifts.

First, Loanwords are integrated phonetically and morphologically into the basic language, such

as:

(Automobile) in French tomobill /tɔmɔbi:l/ in ‘ Darija .

(Feu-rouge) in French ferouge /fɘrɔ:ge/ in ‘Darija .

Loanwords can be further divided into 2 kinds, namely pure loanword and loan blend. Loan

blend is the second kind of loanword in which one language part of the word and the other

language part of the basic language. Finally Loan shift is the form of lexical borrowing that

translates the meaning of foreign languages word or group of words in the basic language to

cover a new concept.

6
 Chapter I
Borrowing (A general view)

7
1.1-A general view of borrowing:

During the history of mankind, human interaction has helped to communicate and has shared
different languages; thus, their common influence was inescapable and could ameliorate their
vocabulary, grammar syntax as well as phonetics. Every contemporary language has a long
development history and no language contains only native words.

Loanwords are items taken from one community to another. These items are usually 'loaned'
when two different communities interact with each other. This may be due to immigration,
commerce, clothing, food, travellers’ stories, arts such as (paintings, literature, poetry or films),
technology or war etc... .

Many of the borrowed terms tend to be nouns. New items or behaviours originating from
overseas require different vocabulary; and by time, lenders consider these items as their own.
The entire borrowing method is complicated and requires a variety of use events. Obviously,
some lenders often know the origin language, or at least enough of it to use the correct words.
They adopt them as they speak the borrowed language. If they are really multilingual in the
source language, which is often the case, the words may be pronounced in the same or similar
way as they are pronounced in the source language.

For instance, Moroccan speakers at first adopted the French word (LES OUVRIERS) as
"ZOFRIE" /Zɔ:frɪ/ with a pronunciation closer than what is now generally found in the French
pronunciation. Perhaps the very first people to use the word knew at least some French and
heard the word used by French speakers. Those who first used the new expression may, at the
beginning used it only with the speakers of the source language who knew the word, but at a
certain stage they started to use the term with those who actually did not know the word earlier.
The word would sound 'mysterious' to those speakers. At that point, the word could be called a
foreign word if the majority of speakers did not know the term, and they heard that it came out
of another language.

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1.2- A general view of borrowing in Morocco:

Like the entire world, Morocco also uses this method due to many different purposes.

Nevertheless, ‘Darija’ is a general term for Arabic dialects spoken in the Maghreb region of

North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Libya …). ‘Darija’ is primarily used for oral

colloquial communication because it has simpler grammatical rules and a more simplified

vocabulary than the Modern Standard Arabic which is usually used for written communication

and formal interactions. ‘Moroccan Darija’ has a distinct accent and it is essentially obscure to

Arabic speakers in the Middle East, but it is usually synonymous with all dialects around the

Maghreb. It should also be stated that ‘the Darija’ spoken in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and

Libya are not completely compatible; each dialect is littered with words borrowed from various

European countries.

Moroccan Darija is an emerging language. Depending on the area at hand, current French

words are inserted into ordinary and scientific languages, and Spanish continues to flourish in

the north; while English is now joining the multicultural lingua franca of Morocco…

It should be mentioned, that the Darija spoken in Maghreb, is not entirely consistent with one

another. Each dialect is peppered with words borrowed from various countries. Libyan Darija,

for example, was dominated by Italian, Tunisian by French and Italian, and the Algerian dialect

was largely influenced by French. While The Moroccan Darija - owing to its geographical and

colonial history - combines between French and Spanish words and other languages.

9
 These are some examples from the everyday use in Morocco from French and
Spanish origins:

I.French:

French Darija (MA) Phonetic English

Transcription

fourchette Forchita /fɔrʃɪta/ Fork

Briquet Brika /brɪkʌ/ Lighter

Automobile Tonobile /tɔnɔbi :l/ Car

Tomobile /tɔmɔbi :l/

Appartement Partma /partma/ Apartment

10
II .Spanish:

Spanish Darija (MA) Phonetic English

transcription

Plaza Blassa /bla :sa/ Square

Manta Manta /ma :n’Ta/ Blanket

Cuerda Courda /kɔ :rda/ Rope

11
 Chapter II
The classification of borrowed words
(ACCORDING TO THE BORROWED ASPECT)

12
 At this stage of examination, it is necessary to point out that the idea of borrowing

demonstrates how various things shift from one language to another. Different components in

phonology, morphology, grammar, vocabulary and semantics are defined as unities at various

types in language structure. In line with this, it is important to restrict the word "borrowing"

when it comes to transferring items on the same level: for example, "lexical borrowing."

Hence, we may differentiate between the following forms on borrowing:

2.1- Phonetic borrowings:

The most famous characteristic of all languages is the phonetic borrowing, which is also

known as loan words. Terms are taken with their spelling, grammar and signification. They

then undergo assimilation; each sound is replaced by the borrowing language's sound in the

borrowed word. Even the term orthography and form may be modified. The phonetic

borrowing language system is very often affected by the stress situation. It can also change

the pattern of the word and sometimes its meaning

French Moroccan Arabic Phonetic

Transcription
Accident Ksida /ksi :da/

Table Tabla /tabəla/

Rond-point Rompoi /rɔmpwa/

13
2.2- Semantic borrowings:

Semantic borrowings are used to borrow a new term from a language system. It can occur if

we have two languages with different meanings and similar words. Semantic borrowing also

takes place in close contact with two languages that have different styles. The source and the

target term may be cognate, but may or may not share a similar meaning, a current loan

translation or parallel development, or identical terms that have an established definition; in

another meaning when a word is borrowed into another language, it develops a new

significance and a new sense. e.g.:

Back in the days of conquest, when French soldiers decide to supply

the Moroccans with the bread, they used to tell to them:

[ La queue au mur ] so they can stick to the wall , and by time it has become

( lkomir ) / lkɔmi:r / and we refer to it to a kind of bread .

French Moroccan Arabic

La queue au mur lkomir

14
2.3- Morphemic borrowings :

Morphemic borrowing consists of an affix borrowing that takes place in a language that has

borrowed from one language several word in close affixes or that has passed other terms with the

same appeals from one language to the next so that those who know the borrowing language

become familiar with the morphemic form of their terms.

2.4- Translation borrowings:

Borrowings for translation are translations of other foreign terms or phrases word by word or

(morpheme for morpheme). In certain cases, the idea is taken from a second language, but

expressed in native lexical units.

15
 Chapter III
Borrowing Processes

16
The borrowing approach uses the importation of linguistic items from one language to another.

This occurs when different cultures and languages come in contact. Two different ways -

Importation and substitution - are used in the process of borrowing. Haugen (1950: 212) states

in this regard: ‘’ If the loan is similar enough to the model so that a native speaker would accept

it as his own, the borrowing speaker maybe said to have imported the model into his language,

provided it as an innovation in that language, but insofar as he has reproduced the model

inadequately, he has normally substituted a similar pattern from his own language. ‘’

‘Importation’ is used as a process where the terms are passed on to the whole lexicon of the

borrowing language. In the substitution process; nevertheless, some changes in shape and

pronunciation may take place.

17
3.1-Importation examples

origins Moroccan Arabic Phonetic English equivalent

(Darija) transcription

Radio (Fre) Radio /ra :djo/ Radio

Ballon ( Fre ) Ballon /balɔn/ Ball

rueda( Spa ) Rueda /rweða/ wheel

Fondo (Spa) Fondo /fɔ :ndo/ Deep place in

the sea /pool

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3.2-Substitution examples:

Words

Origins Phonetic Moroccan Phonetic English

transcription Arabic (Darija) transcription equivalent

Cocina (Spa) /kɔcɪnɑ/ Kozina /kɔzi :na/ Kitchen

Manta (Spa) /ˈmãn̪.ta/ ManTa /mɑn’Tʌ/ Blanket

Travaux public (Fre) /tra:vɔ pɪbli :k/ Traboblik /trabɔbli :k/ Public Works

The borrowed terms follow techniques to fit into the central framework of the receiving

language during the borrowing process. This may be at phonological or morphological level, as

mentioned by Winford (2003: 46) : “in cases of relatively light to moderate contact, lexical

borrowing tends to be adapted in terms of the phonology and morphology of the recipient

language, and become essentially indistinguishable from native forms.”

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3.3-Morphological Adaptation:

In order to accommodate the central pattern and root scheme formed by the language receiver,

Smeaton argues that a borrowed word underlies a shift in morphological structure .For

example: lot of Moroccan Arabic loan names are marked by number, gender and verb

Inflection.

Number:

In Moroccan Arabic ‘’Darija’’, the sound plural has two realizations, /-i: n / for the masculine,

and the /-a: t / the feminine and the "broken plural’’ (internal plural) . Loanwords often use the

form of the Moroccan Arabic plural, most of them take a broken-plural inflection, like /afla:m/

for ‘des films’ ; /twa:bel/ for ‘les tables’ ; some words may have other plural affixes such as

/a:t/ as in / ra :djowa :t / for 'radios ' .

20
Gender:

Nouns and adjectives are defined by gender affixes, meaning that they are either feminine or

masculine.e.g: the word ‘docteur in Moroccan Arabic we say /dɔktɔ: r/ for masculine, and

/dɔktora/ for feminine.

Note:
A simple rule for the feminine in Moroccan Arabic: To form the
feminine in Moroccan Arabic ‘Darija’, we add “a” at the end of the
masculine word or adjective. In other words:
Feminine = Masculine + suffix “a”

Verbs:

Pfaff, Carole. W (1979 ) said that verbs also can be morphologically adapted into the recipient

language because of the requirement to mark tense .In Moroccan Arabic, borrowed verbs are

conjugated in all tenses: past, present and future. For example, the verb se soulager ‘: "find

relief» becomes [tsoulagit] /tsʊlaʒi:t/ in the Moroccan Arabic past form . In the present as

[Kantsoulagea] /Kəntsʊlaʒa/, and in the future as [ghantsoulagea] /ɣantsʊlaʒa/; hence , the verb

was shaped according to Moroccan Arabic standards .

21
3.4-Phonological Adaptation:

A bilingual uses a new term in a phonetic manner equivalent to normal. Monolinguals cannot

rely solely on the expression of bilingual people with differing degrees of bilingualism without

explicit knowledge to the source-language native speakers network. Second, individual

monolingual speakers adopt the non-native speech habits (patterns) of native speakers. The

word is a permanent loan for monolinguals by repetition, but differs from dialect to dialect

because of its regional limits.

On this point Haugen (1969) states ‘’ there are three stages in the phonological adaptation

process. First, a bilingual introduces a new word in a phonetic form close to the model. Without

direct access to the model produced by native speakers of the source language, monolinguals

can only rely on the pronunciation of bilinguals whose degree of “bilingualism” may vary.

Next, the individual monolingual speakers of the recipient language approximate the non-native

sound patterns to the native ones. With its repeated use in the community, the word becomes an

established loan used by monolinguals, but varying from one dialect to another due to

geographical boundaries’’.

Several steps, take place in order to fit the borrowed terms into Moroccan Arabic phonology,

for example:

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Consonant Replacement :

This means swapping the original language’s consonant with one from the borrowing language

since the receiver language has no equivalents. As an example of this we can take the [p]

former phoneme is an allophone of /b/ in Moroccan Arabic .It is substituted with /b/ as in

/boli:s/ for "police ''. In addition, [v] may be produced as / f/ in Moroccan Arabic e.g. “cravate

‘’ as /grɑfɑtɑ/.

Vowel Replacement:

Vowels replaced in ‘the Darija’ because of their absence from the Moroccan Arabic. Others

replace vowels that are not found in Moroccan Arabic in borrowed words. The French vowel

/eu/ is an example of this, which generally becomes / ɔ: /as in the French word ‘chauffeur’

/ʃɔfɘ: r/ becomes ‘chifor’ – /ʃɪfɔ:r/.

Syllabic omission:

In order to facilitate pronunciation, some borrowed words undergo a syllabic omission process

as mentioned by Smeaton (1973). For example : the Spanish word ‘’El armario’’ /ɛl aɾ.ˈma.ɾjo

/ is pronounced as ‘lmario’ –/lmɑrɪjo/ in Moroccan Arabic , also the French word ‘’infirmier

‘’ - /ɛnfiʁmjɛʀ/ , became ‘’fermli’’ /fɛrmlɪ/ where we omit the first syllable.

23
 Conclusion

24
In this paper, I tried to explore Borrowing in Moroccan Arabic and the factors that led our

ancestors to borrow and integrate new words into our mother tongue. Moroccan Arabic has the

complexity of merging other languages and dialects such as: Berber, Arabic, French, Spanish

and Portuguese, etc. This mixture is the result of many different factors like the impact of

colonization and our geographical position …

The present research is divided into three theoretical main chapters. The first chapter is devoted

to a general view of borrowing also to a precise one in Morocco, and the reasons that led to this

borrowing. The second section deals with the classification of borrowed words according to the

borrowed aspect with some examples from our everyday use.

Then the third part discusses the Borrowing processes: the phonological and morphological

adaptation into Moroccan Arabic with some illustrations.

In a nutshell, Morocco has gone through many linguistic phases which have affected our way

of speaking and pronunciation; hence, it has made it easy to interact and this due to the

borrowing technics.

25
 References

26
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