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<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Kenitra – <strong><em>Many
believe that the language situation in Morocco is more of a conflict
than an advantage. Most language conflicts stem from the unbalanced
status allocated to each language in a single country.</em> </strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Language
conflicts take place, most of the time, in multilingual countries such
as Morocco. Its strategic location at the gateway between Africa,
Europe, and the Middle East has caused Morocco to be influenced by
multiple waves such as the Arabs, Spaniards, Portuguese, and French.
Morocco has a variety of languages spoken within the country. </span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">The
first group includes Moroccan Arabic and Tamazight (Berber), which are
held in low esteem by society. The second group includes French and
Standard Arabic, which are the languages of administration and are held
in high esteem by Moroccans. This interaction between languages creates a
realm for competition, which results in a class struggle, as
Grandguillaume puts it (Saib, 2001: 5).</span></p>
<h3 style="text-align:justify"><b>Language Policy in Morocco</b></h3>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">In
regard to the diversity of Moroccan languages, Zouhir argues that the
Moroccan linguistic repertoire includes two groups. The first includes
Moroccan Arabic and Tamazight, which occupies a vulnerable social status
in Morocco. The second category includes French, Standard Arabic, and
English. These languages are used in administration Dawn Marley argues
that there are three languages that enrich Moroccan language repertoire:
Tamazight, Arabic, and French. She thinks that these three languages
are the ones that must be included in any discussion related to language
issues (Marley, 2005).</span></p>
<blockquote class="gmail-td_quote_box gmail-td_box_center">
<h3 style="text-align:justify">Read Also: <a href="https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/10/140590/tamazight-combatting-linguistic-terrorism-in-morocco-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tamazight: Combatting “Linguistic Terrorism” in Morocco</a></h3>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Saib
analyzes the linguistic situation in Morocco in a more detailed
approach. He refers to the two languages that have native speakers and
are the mother tongues of Moroccans, both inside and outside of Morocco.
He says, “Moroccan Arabic and Berber are the only varieties that are
spoken natively” (Saib, 2001). Other languages, such as Standard Arabic,
French, Spanish, and English, are limited to schools. Boukous thinks
that there are competition and power struggles among languages as well
as between the two groups of language (Zouhir, 2013). </span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Another
thing that Saib mentions is that policy-makers have favored the use of
French against Standard Arabic as the most appropriate language for
instruction in schools (Saib, 2001). To support his argument, Saib
claims that the Royal Commission on the Reform of Education does not
include the use of mother tongues (Tamazight and Moroccan Arabic), and
he added that the policy is still the same today.</span></p><div style="text-align:center;width:100%;height:auto;clear:none" class="gmail-google-auto-placed gmail-ap_container"><ins style="display:block;margin:auto;background-color:transparent" class="gmail-adsbygoogle gmail-adsbygoogle-noablate"><ins id="gmail-aswift_2_expand" style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;height:160px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:640px;background-color:transparent"><ins id="gmail-aswift_2_anchor" style="display:block;border:medium none;height:160px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:640px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins></div>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Furthermore,
Saib unravels some of the paradoxes, utilizing the figures from the
1994 Census. Saib notices that the Amazigh (Berber) population is
estimated to be 38.64% of the total Moroccan population. If that is
added to the number of Tamazight speakers dwelling in urban cities and
outside of Morocco, it will push the percentage to reach 60%, as
estimated by some Amazigh scholars (Saib, 2001). According to these
figures, if correct, one can only notice that Tamazight is minimized
even though the Tamazight language is a majority language (Ibid). One of
the reasons behind minimizing the Tamazight language, Saib argues, is
obviously political:</span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">The
ethnocentric pan-Arabist political establishment, which has been
repeating ad nauseum that Morocco is an Arab country and that Moroccans
are Arabs, does not obviously want the Amazigh to know how many they
are, hence their demographic weight, for fear that they may demand a
political power corresponding to it (Saib, 2001:1)</span></p>
<blockquote class="gmail-td_quote_box gmail-td_box_center">
<h3 style="text-align:justify">Read Also: <a href="https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2017/03/212147/moha-ennaji-presents-anthropological-study-morocco-olive-tree-wisdom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moha Ennaji Presents Anthropological Study of Morocco in ‘The Olive Tree of Wisdom’</a></h3>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">The
demographic weight obviously poses a threat to the elite’s ideological
plan. Moreover, Marley thinks that reinstating Arabic was a means of
preserving Morocco’s Arab-Islamic identity, and its epistemological
break with Western ties. (Marley, 2005:1488). She also added that during
the Arabization plan, people thought that it was a good move since they
had never been exposed to foreign languages or Classical Arabic (Ibid).</span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Saib
states that the sociolinguistic situation of both Tamazight and Moroccan
Arabic is inherently motivated by ideological and political intentions
(Saib, 2001:4). Marley, following in the footsteps of Saib, argues that
“A powerful motivation behind the policy is the pursuit and maintenance
of power: the ‘élite’ promote Arabization from virtuous ideological
motives, but in the knowledge that French continues to be necessary for
social and professional success” (Marley, 2005: 1489). Saib asserts that
specialists in the field, who take into consideration sociolinguists’
findings and literature, are the ones who should carry on language
policy and planning (Saib, 2001).</span></p>
<h3 style="text-align:justify"><b>Language Conflict in Morocco</b></h3>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">The
language situation in Morocco can be seen as ‘simplex’; it is simple but
complex at the same time. On one level, foreigners see multilingualism
in Morocco as richness. On the other level, theorists like Saib see it
as complex and unfair. When Arabization was first established by the
Istiqlal-led first national government (1955-1956), it was based on
purely political and ideological intentions (Saib, 2001). The
sociolinguistic status assigned to Tamazight and Moroccan Arabic during
independence was the work of the pro-Arabization “nationalist” elite,
who chose the language that suited their agenda (Ibid).</span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">“They have been subjected to a consciously planned process of minorization and excluded from the school domain” (Saib, 2001:4).</span></p>
<blockquote class="gmail-td_quote_box gmail-td_box_center">
<h3 style="text-align:justify">Read Also: <a href="https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2016/03/182105/why-the-english-language-is-vital-for-the-future-of-morocco/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why the English Language Is Vital for the Future of Morocco</a></h3>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Saib
says that Tamazight and Moroccan Arabic were regarded as vernaculars
that are considered stigmatized forms of speaking used in casual
settings (Ibid). Marley argues that Tamazight language and culture are
held in low esteem, and are regarded as “synonymous with inferiority and
ignorance” (Marley, 2005).</span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Boukous
says that an analysis of the sociolinguistic situation in North Africa
reveals the hierarchy and classification of languages according to
various ecological factors, such as the economy, politics, the
marketplace, and technology (Boukous, 2008:35).</span></p><div style="text-align:center;width:100%;height:auto;clear:none" class="gmail-google-auto-placed gmail-ap_container"><ins style="display:block;margin:auto;background-color:transparent" class="gmail-adsbygoogle gmail-adsbygoogle-noablate"><ins id="gmail-aswift_3_expand" style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;height:160px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:640px;background-color:transparent"><ins id="gmail-aswift_3_anchor" style="display:block;border:medium none;height:160px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:640px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins></div>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">When
Morocco gained independence in 1956, several reforms took place in its
linguistic policies. For Morocco to break with Western influence, it
declared Classical Arabic as the official language of the country
alongside the Arabization policy (Zouhir, 2013: 274). The purpose of
Arabization was to bring the country together, but it did not respect
the multilingual voices that inhabit Morocco (Zouhir, 2013: 274).
Morocco implemented the same strategy that the French adopted during
their colonization in Morocco.</span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">“During
the French occupation for 44 years from 1912 to 1956, French was imposed
and instituted as the main language of instruction at all levels of
education, and Arabic as a foreign language” (Redouane, 2016: 19).</span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">In fact,
back in 1930, the French used Tamazight dialects and the Arabic
vernaculars, through the “Dahir berbère” (Berber Decree), to help divide
the country in order to rule more widely (Redouane, 2016: 19). After
the failure of Arabization, Grandguillaume saw “Arabization as a class
struggle” (Saib, 2001). Tamazight speakers started voicing their rights;
it was time for a reform that could actually deliver solid results.</span></p>
<blockquote class="gmail-td_quote_box gmail-td_box_center">
<h3 style="text-align:justify">Read Also: <a href="https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2016/09/197308/six-things-students-arabic-know-starting-language-journey/">Six Things Students of Arabic Should Know before Starting Their Language Journey</a></h3>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Years
have passed searching for the absolute solution for the linguistic
catastrophe Morocco has suffered. The Charter for Educational Reform,
created in 2000, calls for a drastic linguistic change. Article 110 in
the Charter states, “Morocco will now be adopting a ‘clear, coherent and
constant language policy within education’. This policy has three major
thrusts: ‘the reinforcement and improvement of Arabic teaching’,
‘diversification of languages for teaching science and technology’ and
an ‘openness to Tamazight’” (Marley, 2005: 1489). </span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Openness
towards Tamazight is a huge jump towards inclusion. Although many might
not see this step as being enough, at least it represents movement
toward change and an admission that not all Moroccans are Arabs. As
Berdouzi suggests (2000: 26), if the Charter delivers what it promised,
young Moroccans will excel in Standard Arabic, as well as use it
appropriately in different domains, and they will also excel in at least
two foreign languages, which they will use in several contexts (Marley,
2005: 1490).</span></p><div style="text-align:center;width:100%;height:auto;clear:none" class="gmail-google-auto-placed gmail-ap_container"><ins style="display:block;margin:auto;background-color:transparent" class="gmail-adsbygoogle gmail-adsbygoogle-noablate"><ins id="gmail-aswift_4_expand" style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;height:160px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:640px;background-color:transparent"><ins id="gmail-aswift_4_anchor" style="display:block;border:medium none;height:160px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:640px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins></div>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Morocco
has adopted many reforms in the past. Although these decisions by
previous policy-makers were somewhat poor, they tried to adapt and form a
linguistically-united Morocco. Regardless of their agendas and
intentions, the changes and reforms that have occurred in Morocco are
solid steps toward changing what went wrong and preventing it from
happening in the future. Challenges will always present themselves. For
example, Tamazight is limited to the elementary level and Standard
Arabic is supposed to be used in higher education.</span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-weight:400">Moreover,
the Charter suggested that Morocco has opened up to foreign languages
without specifying what languages. This leaves the foreign languages in a
state of rivalry. However, this does not mean change stops here or that
it will take place overnight. This process of recreating policies and
correcting the mistakes of the past is a healthy one. Morocco has to
learn from its mistakes and evolve toward a better future.</span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify"><strong><em>The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial views.</em></strong></p>
<p class="gmail-m_-6938859536663044146gmail-m_3937801085950052064gmail-_1mf gmail-m_-6938859536663044146gmail-m_3937801085950052064gmail-_1mj" style="text-align:justify"><strong><em>© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission.</em></strong></p>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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