A Discourse Analysis of Three Algerian Novels Written in English: ‘Coward’ (2017), ‘Mud-Blood: The Cursed Ones’ (2018), and ‘The Overcoat of Virginia’ (2013).
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Date
2019-06
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Publisher
Université Mouloud Mammeri Tizi Ouzou
Abstract
The present dissertation intends to investigate the presence of English in the Algerian Linguistic
Landscape, more precisely, in the literary landscape by analysing three novels written in
English by Algerian writers. The aims of the study are twofold. The research aims first to
identify the motivation that led the Algerian writers to opt for English as the main language of
their literary expression instead of Arabic, French or Berber that prevail in Algeria, and,
second, to analyse as well as discuss the themes and ideologies that these three novels aim to
transmit to their readerships. To achieve these purposes, we have selected three Algerian
English novels entitled ‘The Overcoat of Virginia’ (2013) written by Belkacem Meghzouchene,
‘Coward’ (2017) written by Melissa Lakrib, and ‘Mud Blood: The cursed Ones’ (2018) written
by Malika Oussad as the main corpus. This set of data is supplemented by an online semistructured
interview conducted with the three writers. Moreover, the present study has adopted
Fairclough’s approach to Critical Discourse Analysis as the main theoretical framework to
analyse the contents of the novels in relation to two linguistic categories that are vocabulary
and grammar. The research is qualitative in nature; therefore, the findings of the research
involving both the contents of the three novels and the responses obtained from the interview
are interpreted using a Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) mainly following Fairclough’s
approach to CDA. This choice is meant to facilitate the identification of the main issues and
ideologies covered in the novels, and the main factors that urged these writers to choose English
among the other languages available for them to write novels. The results of the present study
reveal that English is gaining much ground in the Algerian literary scene and the linguistic
scene at large as Algerian writers take advantage of both the prestigious status that English
enjoys worldwide and the availability of the Internet to tackle issues related to their personal
experiences as well as the experiences of the whole society as to call for change both locally
and internationally. Finally, the research provides some recommendations for further research
in the Algerian Linguistic Landscape.
Description
30cm ; 121p.
Keywords
Algerian writers, Critical Discourse Analysis, English, Literary Landscape, novels written in English
Citation
Language and Communication