La langue de Driss Chraïbi: langue déplacée d'un écrivain déplacé

This article explores the notion of displacement in Driss Chraïbi's novels: Une Enquête au pays, La Mère du printemps and Naissance à l'aube. The word 'displacement' is used here in all its acceptions including geographical expatriation, cultural and linguistic distanciation from the fatherland and the mother tongue as well as acculturation and bilingualism. But 'displacement' also refers to Chraïbi's marginalisation within literature as a Moroccan writing in French, his 'politically incorrect' opinions, and his rejection of the literary, intellectual world. Various types of linguistic displacements are examined: in particular, the insertion of Arab words, idioms and Qur'anic verses within French sentences, with or without italics, footnote, translation, and explanatory context. These linguistic displacements are also used as a tool to establish his position, as well as to displace the readers to the margins.