This study investigates language use and maintenance among a non-indigenous minority in Britain with a view to finding out what role English plays in their lives, whether they still use their languages of origin, and what are the reasons for their particular language behaviour. Language use and maintenance in a non-indigenous minority setting is important if one is to understand some of the factors involved in the community’s integration process, or the lack of it. Minority communities adopt a number of linguistic strategies for communication. In most cases, these linguistic strategies are dictated by both the social and linguistic environment the non-indigenous minority finds itself living in.

The book first looks at the sociolinguistic situation of Morocco in order to establish the linguistic background of this community. It then considers the British-Moroccans from a socio-economic perspective to identify factors that may influence language shift behaviour. The empirical part of the book looks at linguistic as well as non-linguistic determinants such as those that influence language choice, code-switching, attitudes and use of language specific media.

The study has two main hypotheses: first, the British-Moroccan minority is undergoing a generational language shift, and second, typical Moroccan sociolinguistic patterns are reflected in their language use. While the former hypothesis has, on the whole, proved correct, the latter did not hold true.