Department of English, Tamanrasset University
Level: Master 1 Linguistics Module: Sociolinguistics
Task: How do attitudes relate to SIT?
The term “attitude” generally refers to a set of emotions, beliefs, and behaviours toward a
particular person, object, or event. Attitudes are often the result of our socialization or upbringing
within a particular community. They can profoundly affect the behavioural intention of a certain
individual towards his in or out-group. Hence, we can say that attitudes relate to social identity, and
they are commonly modulated or stirred by it.
Social identity refers to a person's membership in a particular social group. It can be observed
in social (or societal) practices and behaviours among a smaller group of people. Attitudes, on the
other hand, are latent personality traits that cannot be observed but inferred. For instance, resentment
and inferiority are hidden psychological traits which could connote a negative attitude towards a
particular counter-group. Be it consciously or unconsciously, conservative Muslims often carry these
negative feelings towards the Jewish community and its language (Hebrew). They are likely to
deviate from learning Hebrew, for they deem it as the language of the infidels and witchcraft, and
thereby inferior to their divine Arabic language. Hebrew is becoming an international language due
to the Jewish worldwide political dominance. Yet, the majority of Muslim individuals are unwilling
to adopt this political and linguistic change. They tend to ignore and even resist it based on their
negative historical and religious inclinations towards this out-group.
Similar to most Muslims, the Palestinian inhabitants in Gaza resent the oppressive Israeli
government. Still, they tend to be resilient towards acquiring Hebrew as a second language. Despite
being frustrated with the Israeli community, Gaza's people would be indifferent to the pretext that
Hebrew is an inferior and ominous language. This neutral inclination towards the opponents'
language might be stimulated by some utilitarian motives. That is, some of these Palestinians could
be tradesmen. They would acquire the Hebrew language to deal with Israeli consumers. Thus, their
final objective is not to seek integration in the out-group but rather to achieve certain economic
advantages (selling their commodities).
Attitudes often entail a tendency to act in a certain way based on certain emotions and beliefs.
They relate to social identity in the sense that individuals of a particular community (conservative
Level: Master 1 Linguistics Module: Sociolinguistics
Task: How do attitudes relate to SIT?
The term “attitude” generally refers to a set of emotions, beliefs, and behaviours toward a
particular person, object, or event. Attitudes are often the result of our socialization or upbringing
within a particular community. They can profoundly affect the behavioural intention of a certain
individual towards his in or out-group. Hence, we can say that attitudes relate to social identity, and
they are commonly modulated or stirred by it.
Social identity refers to a person's membership in a particular social group. It can be observed
in social (or societal) practices and behaviours among a smaller group of people. Attitudes, on the
other hand, are latent personality traits that cannot be observed but inferred. For instance, resentment
and inferiority are hidden psychological traits which could connote a negative attitude towards a
particular counter-group. Be it consciously or unconsciously, conservative Muslims often carry these
negative feelings towards the Jewish community and its language (Hebrew). They are likely to
deviate from learning Hebrew, for they deem it as the language of the infidels and witchcraft, and
thereby inferior to their divine Arabic language. Hebrew is becoming an international language due
to the Jewish worldwide political dominance. Yet, the majority of Muslim individuals are unwilling
to adopt this political and linguistic change. They tend to ignore and even resist it based on their
negative historical and religious inclinations towards this out-group.
Similar to most Muslims, the Palestinian inhabitants in Gaza resent the oppressive Israeli
government. Still, they tend to be resilient towards acquiring Hebrew as a second language. Despite
being frustrated with the Israeli community, Gaza's people would be indifferent to the pretext that
Hebrew is an inferior and ominous language. This neutral inclination towards the opponents'
language might be stimulated by some utilitarian motives. That is, some of these Palestinians could
be tradesmen. They would acquire the Hebrew language to deal with Israeli consumers. Thus, their
final objective is not to seek integration in the out-group but rather to achieve certain economic
advantages (selling their commodities).
Attitudes often entail a tendency to act in a certain way based on certain emotions and beliefs.
They relate to social identity in the sense that individuals of a particular community (conservative
