Diglossia

Course tutor : Nedal Elhassan

Presented by :
Jihan Alraies
Alaa El-khraz
 What is diglossia?
Diglossia is a situation in which two languages or two varieties of
the same language are used under different conditions within a
community, often by the same speaker.
 THE HISTORY OF DIGLOSSIA
The word Diglossia was derived from French diglossie by
Charles Ferguson in 1959.
 FEATURES OF DIGLOSSIA
Diglossia has been used both in a narrow and in a much broader
sense , it has three crucial features :
1. Two distinct varieties of the same language are used in the
community, with one regarded as a high (or H) variety and the
other a low (or L) variety.
2. Each variety is used for quite distinct functions; H and L
complement each other.
3. No one uses the H variety in everyday conversation.
 VARIETIES OF DIGLOSSIA
Diglossia has two types of variety :

1- High variety : is regarded as the standard variety and people

use it as formal or official situations.
2- Low variety : is regarded as the non – standard variety and
people use it as informal situations.
When Charles Ferguson first wrote about the term Diglossia, he introduced
a few common examples of diglossic languages, such as
Arabic, Swiss German.

- Arabic speaking countries use classical Arabic as their H variety and

regional colloquial varieties as L varieties.

- In the German-speaking part of Switzerland, many people use both

Standard German and Swiss German.
In these communities, while the two varieties are (or were) linguistically
related, the relationship is closer in some cases than others. The degree of
difference in the pronunciation of H and I varies from place to place, for
example. The sounds of Swiss German are quite different from those of
standard German.
The grammar of the two linguistically related varieties differs too. Often the
grammar of H is morphologically more complicated, So standard German,
for instance, uses more case markers on nouns and tense inflections on
verbs than Swiss German.
Most of the vocabulary of H and L is the same. But, not surprisingly since it
is used in more formal domains, the H vocabulary includes many more
formal and technical terms
CHANGES IN A DIGLOSSIA SITUATIONS
It’s possible for two varieties to continue exist side by side for
centuries . Alternatively ,one variety may gradually displace the
other.

English French English

Ox Boeuf Beef
Sheep Mouton Mutton
Calf Veau Meal
Pig porc pork
DIGLOSSIA WITH AND WITHOUT BILINGUALISM

Bilingualism refers to the ability to speak two languages, while

diglossia refers to the use of two varieties of the same language
in a speech society.
Bilingualism and diglossia are two linguistic phenomena
prevalent in many speech communities.
Although both bilingualism and diglossia require code-
switching , there are several differences between
bilingualism and diglossia.
Characteristics of diglossia
Ferguson listed following specific characteristics of a diglossia language situation:
• The superposed variety H and the vernacular variety (L) are in strict complementary
functional distribution.
• H is uniformly held in higher esteem than L by members of the speech community.
• H has associated with it a substantial and highly regarded body of written literature.
• Proficiency in H is typically attained as a result of formal schooling, whereas proficiency in L
is attained through the natural process of mother-tongue acquisition.
• The pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary of H are standardized and tolerate only limited
variation, whereas there is wide variation in the pronunciation, grammar, and
vocabulary of L.
• Diglossic situations are extremely stable, and typically persist for several centuries at least.
• There are always extensive differences between the grammatical structures of H and L.
• The sound systems of H and L constitute a single phonological structure of which L is
thebasic system.
characteristics High variety Low variety
Function more formal variety used for less politically
important functions
Prestige H is highly valued, prestigious felt to be less worthy
variety. People have more
positive attitude towards H
Acquisition learned through schooling in a usually acquired as a first
formal educational setting language
Standardization strictly standardized. Grammar L is rarely standardized.
sand dictionaries are written by Grammars of L-variety are
native grammarians usually written by foreigners.
Stability H only displaces L if H is the displace the H-variety,
mother tongue of an elite
Grammar The grammars of H are more Cases and verb inflections
complext han the grammars of are reduced in L.
L-variety.
Phonology The phonology of H is more diverges from this system in the
complex. H has usually course of development of
underlying phonological system thousands of years.
Domains for High and Low varieties in diglossia
Different kinds of diglossia
1-Classical Diglossia
situation in which two varieties of the same language are used in a
linguistic situation but with distinct functions as example of using classical
Arabic and local varieties of colloquial Arabic.
2- Creole Diglossia
In creole diglossia H is language which originates in a different speech
community and L is a creole language example In Nigeria English is H and
Nigerian pidgin id L.
3 - Border diglossia
In border diglossia H originates in a neighbouring community and L is a
local variety example :In Switzerland high German (spoken in Germany) is
H and Swiss German is L.
4- Leaky Diglossia
Leaky Diglossia means one variety of language leaks into the domains
previously reserved for the other varietyexampleIn Tanzania there is
triglossia with English, Swahili and local language English always H ,and
the local language always L bit Swahili is sometimes H and sometimes L
Attitudes to H vs L in a diglossia situation
Attitudes towards the two codes in a diglossia situation are
complicated.
People admire the H variety even when they can’t understand it.
Attitudes to it are usually very respectful. It has prestige in the
sense of high status.
These attitudes are reinforced by the fact that the H variety is
the one which is described and ‘fixed’, or standardized, in
grammar books and dictionaries.
Attitudes to the L variety are varied and often ambivalent.
Literature is generally written in H rather than L.
THE END