Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

In the stylized Egyptian series ElKabeer Awy, code-switching is an artistic and performative tool by which the writers and actors achieve specific comedic effects and mirror the country's continuous interaction with the global culture. The series employs humor to depict the mixing of Egyptian morals with Western cultural influences. This study implements Poplack's (1980) code-switching categories and Giles' (1979) accommodation theory to analyze characters who code-switch to resemble or differ from their interlocutors. In addition, incongruity theory offers a basis for understanding how some instances of code-switching result in laughter. The results show a high frequency of code-switching among the primary characters, with intra-sentential switching being the most frequent form. The qualitative analysis of this stylized television series demonstrates unique patterns of character behavior and social posturing that may diverge from the traditional perspectives that codeswitching reflects a true bilingual skill and that media exposure builds real cultural competence, underlining a media-specific depiction of the Egyptian modern cultural identity. These findings highlight the interplay of language, culture, and humor in modern media, which is a rather complex issue

Download

Share

COinS