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LITERARY CODE-SWITCHING
Hammad profusely exploits multiple linguistic technigues, such as the inser¬
tion of Arabic and French words, phrases and expressions (either translated
or left untranslated) in the main text in English, as well as relexifications (most
often left unexplained, with or without cushioning or contextualization). As
defined by Hartman, relexification is
the literal translation of Arabic expressions into unidiomatic, antiguated, or
awkward-sounding French [here: English]. In relexification, as opposed to
translation, the connection to the original language is left as transparent as possible,
and the way that the resulting word or phrase sounds in the target language is al¬
most always “awkward.” The relexified expression thus sounds unidiomatic and may
not even make sense within the new language, but this is the point of the technique;
it does not strive for an “accurate” translation, but rather emphasizes its difference
with the main language of the text.®
As Hartman further argues, this difference interrupts the main text and
forces the readers to pause in order to draw their attention to additional po¬
litical, social, cultural and poetical meanings that are layered into the text.
However, the interruptions will be understood differently depending on the
linguistic and cultural knowledge of the reader. The “outsider reader” who does
not know Arabic (and/or French) will have to deduce the meaning of the code¬
switch or relexified item from the context and cushioning and is invited to
reflect on the importance of language. The “insider reader” who knows Arabic
and has sufficient cultural background knowledge will understand the trans¬
literated or relexified item immediately but will still be given pause by the
foreignness or awkwardness of the expression. As a result, both types of read¬
ers are incited to reflect on its additional meanings that go beyond the ones
that are taken for granted and how they relate to the plot and the (implicit)
political and social messages of the text:
Poetically, the effect of using nonidiomatic expressions that clearly are meant to
refer to another language has an immediate effect on the flow of the text. The insider
and the outsider reader will also be affected by these textual breaks differently,
in that the reader who knows Arabic will immediately supply the relexified
expression in its many meanings and be able to continue reading smoothly with
this in mind. The outsider reader who does not know Arabic, however, will be
stalled for a moment at the relexification and forced to understand the meaning
from the context and appropriate cushioning, further reflecting on the importance
of language in conveying ideas.’
8 Hartman: Native Tongue, 54.
° Tbid., 55.
+26 +