English language in Algeria

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Languages of Algeria

Official| Arabic, Tamazight
Regional| Hassaniya (unrecognized),
Korandje (unrecognized)[1]
Vernacular| Algerian Arabic, Algerian Berber, Algerian French
Immigrant| Dawsahak
Foreign| English, French, Spanish
Signed| Algerian Sign Language
Keyboard layout|

AZERTY

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English is taught in schools in Algeria.[2][3][4]

## Overview

[edit]

In recent years, English has gained popularity as the second most widely studied foreign language in Algeria, following French. However, in the 1960s and 1970s, English was not prominently featured in Algerian textbooks, possibly due to apprehension regarding a neocolonial experience similar to that of France. By the mid-1980s, English started to gain space in society. According to a 1984 report by the British Council, English was considered a third language in Algeria.[5]

The real presence of English in Algeria began to emerge in the beginning of the 1990s with the arrival of foreign energy companies specializing in gas and petroleum in the southern region of the country. Algerian scholars started to learn English for scientific research and publication. Between 1998 and 2003, out of 1,410 national projects published in Algeria, 681 (48%) were published in English, followed by French with 528 (37%).[5]

Since 2017, the popularity of English has experienced a significant surge, primarily due to the rise of the internet and the boom of social media platforms. This trend is observable not only in social media but also in fashion and food businesses, as well as in private language schools, training centers, business establishments, and online platforms.[6]

Under President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Algeria has emphasized the teaching of English. Starting in 2022, English language learning was introduced to most years of primary school, and a training program was implemented for new high school graduates.[7] The government also supports English language learning for teachers to enhance their skills before the start of the new university season.[8]

## Presentation

[edit]

According to the Euromonitor International site, the English language was spoken in 2012 by 7% of Algerians, and learning this language is also explained by the fact that many Algerians have emigrated to the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries.[9][10]

## Education

[edit]

Main article: Education in Algeria

Since the independence of Algeria in 1962, the English language has been taught to the majority of students from the middle level.[11][12][13] In July 2022, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced that primary schools will start to teach English in late 2022.[14]

## Media

[edit]

Main article: Media in Algeria

See also: Radio Algeria and Television in Algeria

There is no English-speaking Algeria television channel, nor are there radio channel broadcasts in English.[15][16]

Even the Radio Algérie Internationale [ar] channel only produces a few minutes of English-language programs a day, which are broadcast on the air from 8 p.m.[17]

## Newspapers

[edit]

Main article: List of newspapers in Algeria

See also: Mass media in Algeria

There is no English daily or periodical newspaper that is published in Algeria.[18]

It was only the Arabic-speaking newspaper Echorouk El Yawmi which tried in collaboration with the British Council to popularize the English language in Algeria by devoting one to two pages per week for initiation into the language.[19][20]

## See also

[edit]

* Geographical distribution of English speakers
* English-speaking world
* List of countries and territories where English is an official language
* Ministry of National Education (Algeria)
* Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (Algeria)
* Radio Algeria
* Television in Algeria

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Lewis, M. Paul, ed. (2009). "Languages of Algeria". Ethnologue: Languages of the World (sixteenth edition). SIL International. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
2. ^ "Algeria seeks to replace French with English at university, sparks 'language war' | | AW". Thearabweekly.com. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
3. ^ Benrabah, Prof Mohamed (2013). Language Conflict in Algeria: From Colonialism to Post-Independence. Multilingual Matters. ISBN 978-1-84769-966-4.[page needed]
4. ^ Belmihoub, Kamal (June 2018). "English in a multilingual Algeria". World Englishes. 37 (2): 207–227\. doi:10.1111/weng.12294.
5. ^ a b Belmihoub, Kamal (2018) [2018]. "English in a multilingual Algeria". World Englishes. 37 (2): 207–227\. doi:10.1111/weng.12294. ISSN 0883-2919.
6. ^ Maraf, Baya; Osam, Ulker Vanci (2023). "The booming wave of English in the linguistic landscape in Algeria: Timeline of the presence of English language in Algerian bottom-up signs". English Today. 39 (4): 307–314\. doi:10.1017/S026607842200013X. ISSN 0266-0784.
7. ^ "Enseignement de l'anglais : l'Algérie fait un nouveau pas" [Algeria takes a new step in English language education.]. TSA (in French). 2023-05-29. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
8. ^ "Algérie : L'anglais, langue d'enseignement à l'université dès septembre prochain" [Algeria: English to be the medium of instruction at universities starting from next September]. www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
9. ^ The Benefits of the English Language for Individuals and Societies: Quantitative Indicators from Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen. Euromonitor International. April 2012.[page needed]
10. ^ Nadia, Rezig (1 January 2011). "Teaching English in Algeria and Educational Reforms: An Overview on the Factors Entailing Students Failure in Learning Foreign Languages at University". Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 29: 1327–1333\. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.370.
11. ^ "English for Development" (PDF). www.cambridgeenglish.org. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
12. ^ "Teaching English as a Foreign Language in the Algerian Secondary Schools" (PDF). thesis.univ-biskra.dz. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
13. ^ "Teach English in Algeria | How to start teaching in Algeria". Theteflacademy.com. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
14. ^ "Algerian leader in bold move to promote English at junior school". BBC News. 2022-07-31. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
15. ^ Nadia, Rezig (2011). "Teaching English in Algeria and Educational Reforms: An Overview on the Factors Entailing Students Failure in Learning Foreign Languages at University". Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 29: 1327–1333\. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.370.
16. ^ "MÉTHODAL OpenLab - Challenges Facing the Algerian Educational System in Teaching English as a (...)". Methodal.net. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
17. ^ Miliani, Mohamed (2001). "Teaching English in a multilingual context : the Algerian case". Mediterranean Journal of Educational Studies. 6 (1): 13–29.
18. ^ Belhandouz, Halima (March 2011). "Teaching science in Algeria: pedagogical shortfalls and conflicts of meaning". The Journal of North African Studies. 16 (1): 99–116\. doi:10.1080/13629387.2010.529655. S2CID 144185408.
19. ^ "Teaching English | British Council". Britishcouncil.dz. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
20. ^ Le Roux, Cheryl S. (4 May 2017). "Language in education in Algeria: a historical vignette of a 'most severe' sociolinguistic problem". Language & History. 60 (2): 112–128\. doi:10.1080/17597536.2017.1319103. S2CID 218668883.

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Languages of Algeria

Official language|

* Standard Arabic
* Berber

Local languages|

| Arabic|

* Algerian
* Algerian Saharan
* Hassānīya

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Berber|

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* Kabyle
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* Tagargrent
* Temacine
* South Oran and Figuig Berber
* Tarifit
* Taznatit
* Tidikelt
* Mozabite
* Tamahaq

Songhay|

* Korandje

Foreign languages|

* French
* English

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* Algerian Sign Language
* Domari
* Tetuani Ladino

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