Gendered Asymmetries in Terms of Address in Moroccan Arabic

In the Moroccan sociolinguistic context, terms of address in dialectal Arabic constitute essential discursive markers in the construction of interpersonal relationships. Their use, far from being neutral, reveals complex social dynamics, particularly in terms of gender. The study of gendered asymmetries in these forms of address is part of a sociopragmatic approach, attentive to issues of power, politeness, and social recognition. This field of analysis allows us to better understand how language contributes to the reproduction or challenge of gendered social norms. The central theme of this research lies in identifying the linguistic mechanisms that differentiate speakers according to their gender, both in the production and reception of terms of address. These asymmetries reflect implicit representations of the feminine and the masculine, often associated with stereotypes or symbolic hierarchies. Some expressions tend to make the feminine invisible or relegate it to affective or subordinate registers, while other, more marginal expressions open up spaces of discursive resistance. The methodology adopted is based on the analysis of a corpus of authentic interactions collected in various informal contexts (family, public spaces, means of transportation), supplemented by a sociolinguistic questionnaire. The sociopragmatic approach allows for the intersection of linguistic, interactional, and social dimensions, taking into account variables such as gender, age, status, and interactional context. The results reveal gendered asymmetries in terms of address, ranging from valorization to stigmatization. They show that speakers adjust their linguistic choices according to social expectations and interpersonal relationships, and can also use them to assert an identity or challenge power relations.