Academics and researchers discuss linguistic policy in Morocco at the Council of Advisors

In an effort to expand the circle of institutional and academic debate on the management of the language issue, the temporary thematic working group on the language policy of Morocco in the House of Councilors organized a study day on “Linguistic Policy in Morocco: Foundations – Programs – Challenges”, chaired by Fatiha Khortal, Chair of the Thematic Committee, in the presence of chairs and directors. Bodies working on the linguistic issue in the country, especially in the aspect related to the Arabic language and Arabization issues.

It is interesting that the attendees, including the Chairman of the Council of Councillors, Al-Naam Mayara, agreed in a brief speech that “the linguistic situation in Morocco has some problems,” while the rest of the interventions focused on opening the way for discussion on the issue, in order to provide a realistic reading of the linguistic policy and the implications it has created. “Cracks” and “alignments” at the level of national identity.

“Challenges to the Dhad language”

Muhammad Dhafer Al-Sharif Al-Kattani, Director of the Institute of Studies, Research and Arabization, said that Arabic is “an essential part of the cultural and historical identity of Moroccan society (…) However, it faces many challenges in light of the linguistic pluralism that characterizes this society,” highlighting that the current reality of this language in The country can be viewed through Education First, in which Arabic is the primary language of instruction in Moroccan schools, especially in the primary and secondary levels.

In his intervention, Sharif Al-Kettani touched on the “point of contention” that makes the Dhad language face challenges in higher education, given “the teaching of many scientific and technical disciplines in foreign languages, such as French and English for example,” moving to the field of media and culture, “in which progress has been made.” This language plays an important role in traditional media, such as newspapers, television, and radio, (…) but it faces a major challenge from foreign languages ​​in digital media and social platforms.”

The director of the Institute of Studies, Research and Arabization recalled the nature of the “language of the Qur’an”, as it is an official and administrative language, saying: “Standard Arabic is considered the official language of the state alongside Amazigh, which the Moroccan Constitution recognizes as an official language alongside Arabic, aiming to enhance integration between the two languages ​​in education, media and culture.” “.

The speaker continued, explaining: “Arabic is the language of legislation and laws, and is used in all administrative and official correspondence. But French is considered an important language in Morocco due to its history of protection and economic relations, and it is also widely used in administration, business and legal affairs,” he pointed out, “the increasing importance of the English language in education and business, which poses an additional challenge to the Arabic language.” He also pointed out “the need to enhance its position in education by developing advanced educational curricula to enhance students’ skills, as well as encouraging scientific research in it…”

“Absence of download requirements”

Fouad Bouali, head of the National Coalition for the Arabic Language in Morocco, said, “The question we would like to answer now is: What Morocco do we want linguistically and culturally?” Is it a Morocco that accommodates everyone, or a Morocco of an elite that controls the fate of everyone?” He added: “If language, as linguists and sociologists have known it, is more than just a mechanism for reporting and communicating, but rather a creative ability that carries and produces knowledge, then modern countries have put in place a set of procedural measures.” To advance their national languages.

In his intervention, Bouali spoke about the so-called “chaotic situation of the language in Morocco,” noting that “it is often talked about as a situation in which affiliations and loyalties conflict, and that the Moroccan state has lived throughout its existence outside the political management of the language.” He added: “The reality is that the relationship in terms of Scientific knowledge between the components of politics and language makes us say and conclude that the existence of a human group is inconceivable without a certain linguistic arrangement (…) according to certain policies and visions, explicitly announced or implicit, and existing by force and realistic measures, as we experienced in the Moroccan experience.”

The speaker distinguished between two stages: “before the constitutional moment, the moment of reconciliation with oneself, in which we distinguish between the policy of Balkanization and unity, and after this constitutional moment in which we distinguish between recognition and retreat,” expanding on the stage of Balkanization “which was the work of the colonizer and his linguistic policy. Since his entry, especially the French one, into the Moroccan cultural and geographical space, he has been preoccupied with proving the identity distinctions within the local societal fabric and Balkanizing the linguistic and educational scenes since Lyautey’s periodical in 1921 on the language of education.

The head of the “Arabic Coalition” referred to “the phase of Arabization and building the national state after independence,” during which the Arabic language was demarcated in the constitution, but he noted that “the officialdom of the Amazigh language was not empowered,” (…) and “since the demarcation of the Arabic language, no regulatory law has been issued.” Highlights the requirements for downloading.” He also spoke about the absence of legal protection for it, “as the authority usually dealt with a kind of neglect with various calls to exclude the Arabic language, to the point that it was accused of being a colonial and non-national language, and many voices attacked it.”

“Reality is stronger than legislation”

Said Benkrad, academic and professor of semiotics at Mohammed V University in Rabat, refused to consider language as a tool, as according to him it is “something else,” adding: “Language is being, it is our presence in the world, and it is the way through which we are present in this universe.” He added: “Language is It not only names but expands the memory of the universe. We now live in Morocco, and perhaps in other worlds, where we are witnessing a dangerous decline of the language… and the areas from which the language withdraws are colonized by violence.”

Benkrad, who previously edited a book called “The Orbits of Language between the Eloquent and the Common,” continued, explaining: “When we stand at the limits of what is happening and what is being circulated, whether it is French, English, Chinese, or so on, it is as if it were a matter of simple choosing a vessel that we must use in order to… We scoop the water, and then we throw it away, but that is not the case at all.” He added: “We are present in the language, and we exist in the language. It refines existence and expands the memory of the universe because it does not only name or describe, but rather tries to create other areas that are larger and broader than what the outside world offers.”

The speaker added: “When we adopt another language, we adopt a civilizational system. We learn a tongue and languages, and we learn how to belong to our culture, to our social system through the system that the language suggests to us,” highlighting: “What is currently happening in Morocco, such as the issue of pluralism, legislation, etc., I I do not believe in it very much, for a simple reason, which is that what happens outside official legislation is something else, to the point that we can reach the level that a group proposes things that have absolutely nothing to do with the country’s legislation.”

The Moroccan semiotician stated that he gets confused when he hears the word pluralism, and he added, explaining: “Either this country called Morocco has an Arabic language and it has a Berber language, with branches and dialects; If pluralism is the goal of this, we will discuss it from another angle. But if the matter is related to managing diversity on the basis that I include other languages ​​coming from abroad and consider them part of society and part of the diversity in which Moroccans live, then here I raise many question marks.”