Hamilton Lugar lecturer explores code-switching in new multilingualism book chapter
Issam Albdairat, a lecturer in the Hamilton Lugar School’s Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, has authored “The social motivations for code-switching among Jordanian speakers,” a chapter in the recently released book, Mosaic of Tongues: Multilingual Learning for the Arabic-Speaking World (Calec, 2024).
Mosaic of Tongues offers a crucial exploration of how communities in the Arabic-speaking world live, learn, and grow with languages like English and French. Through real stories and research-based chapters, the authors discuss essential topics such as language and identity, learning in multilingual classrooms, and the practice of code-switching—moving between languages in conversation.
Rather than viewing multilingualism as a challenge, the book champions it as a source of strength. It explains the significant cognitive, academic, and social benefits of linguistic diversity and celebrates the cultural richness that comes with using more than one language.
This book is a great choice for students in introductory courses related to language, education, or Middle Eastern studies, as it offers an accessible and hopeful vision of a more inclusive, multilingual world.
About the author and Arabic at Hamilton Lugar
Albdairat's own research interests include teaching Arabic as a second language, Arabic phonology, and sociolinguistics. His expertise reflects the Hamilton Lugar School’s strengths in Arabic language instruction, including its Arabic Language Flagship Program and specialized coursework in Gulf, Levantine, Moroccan, and Egyptian Arabic.