Code switching and attitudinal perception

One of the results of globalization is that individuals are now more likely using multiple codes to communicate, often switching between them. The purpose of this study is to examine the attitude toward codeswitching (CS) in Egypt as there has limited research conducted in the region, especially codeswitching between the Egyptian colloquial and English. Attitude toward CS was determined using a convenience sample of 40 participants in an Egyptian university community. Half of the participants were Egyptians who had attended international schools prior to university and the other half were international students studying Arabic. Questionnaires, verbal guise tests and follow-up interviews were conducted to assess the listener’s attitude toward the speaker. Also examined was if the gender of the speaker affected the attitude of the listener. Results showed that both groups of participants viewed code-switching favorably although they both felt it compromised Arabic. The male who did not code-switch in the verbal guise test was rated the most negatively by both groups. The results did not support the expectations from previous research that code switching would be viewed more negatively. This study provides additional insights about the attitude toward code-switching and supports the suggestion that a code-switched variety of Arabic and English is becoming a widely-accepted variety which thus could be added to Dr. Badawi’s (1973) model for describing the intermediate varieties between the high and low varieties of Arabic. Implications for teaching are discussed

Recycled construction and demolition concrete waste as aggregate for structural concrete

In major Egyptian cities there is a surge in construction and demolition waste (CDW) quantities causing an adverse effect on the environment. The use of such waste as recycled aggregate in concrete can be useful for both environmental and economical aspects in the construction industry. This study discusses the possibility to replace natural coarse aggregate (NA) with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) in structural concrete. An investigation into the properties of RCA is made using crushing and grading of concrete rubble collected from different demolition sites and landfill locations around Cairo. Aggregates used in the study were: natural sand, dolomite and crushed concretes obtained from different sources. A total of 50 concrete mixes forming eight groups were cast. Groups were designed to study the effect of recycled coarse aggregates quality/content, cement dosage, use of superplasticizer and silica fume. Tests were carried out for: compressive strength, splitting strength and elastic modulus. The results showed that the concrete rubble could be transformed into useful recycled aggregate and used in concrete production with properties suitable for most structural concrete applications in Egypt. A significant reduction in the properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) made of 100% RCA was seen when compared to natural aggregate concrete (NAC), while the properties of RAC made of a blend of 75% NA and 25% RCA showed no significant change in concrete properties