A meaning-oriented approach to islamic idioms in the western algerian transnational community

Abstract

Language is one of the main constituents of transnationalism that is increasingly gaining ground in research. Language use leads to the creation and/ or preservation of connections between distant spaces, frequently across national boundaries (Jiménez et al, 2009). An idiom is a regularly used phrase in the language to carry its cultural and historical heritage and play a vital role in language use. However, at times its meaning might present a challenge while little is known about it in transnational contexts. This paper deals with idiomatic transnationalism in countries proclaiming Islam as their religion. Choice fell on western Algeria as a transnational study case where Islamic idioms make an important part of Arabic varieties and reflect diverse cultural and historical aspects of the Algerians’ everyday life. Not only language specialists are involved in transnational activities, but also individuals moving to Algeria, including immigrants, foreign business investors, European Erasmus students, in addition to emigrants leaving the country: Idiomatic understanding helps school foreign language teachers in the host country to better instruct their children. Therefore, this paper suggests the application of meaning-oriented model of foreign language knowledge (Purpura, 2016) to Islamic idioms as a way to contribute to the comprehension of Algerian transnationalism. It also attempts to check the extent to which this model applicability could be currently effective. Observation was undertaken to collect data and eighty eight informants were interviewed. Results showed that most of the model resources could be applied to the idiom collected. Yet, not all transnational individuals needed to go subsequently through all the model layers to reach idiomatic understanding and production in the present context. Further suggestions that might improve the newcomers’ proficiency of Islamic idioms in western Algeria were provided.