How Did French Imperialism Affect Algeria

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Language is a means of communication between people. Language is not a phenomenon; it is used for self-identification and self-expression. Frataz Fanon said "To speak a language is to take on a world, a culture." Algeria offers a great example for the study of languages and their conflict. France took over and controlled educational system, business, and the government institutions. The French controlled life in Algeria for a hundred and thirty two years. They postioned the French language as the official and the dominent language. They erased the Algerian identity and the Arabic language. The French conoliation used language planning and policy to control Algeria. "Language planning refers to deliberate efforts to influence the behavior…show more content…
To the colonization, Algerians were savage people. The French then projected their principles, cultural, and traditions on the Algerians. The colonization presented themselves in educational systems, science, agents of civilization, rationality, progress, work, programmes, and many other fields. It was a destructive colonization. However, during this colonization, French was the lanauge of civilization and more prestige. Those who were in a higher educational level than the other…show more content…
There were Islamic schools which were responsible for literacy; as reading and writing was them being able to read and learn the Qur'an. As a result of the colonization, education was oriented towards French. Arabic teachers were lacking. Nelson Mandele says "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" this was exactly what happened in Algeria; the French gave due care to the education and how they envolved the French language in every aspect of the Algerian lives. Moreover, the feeling of being lack of cultural or heritage made the Algerians unite together against the colonization. The closing down of the Arabic or Qur'anic schools was the motivation to resist and to take reaction and to to do something about being free. Group of people or scholars under the leadership of Ben Badis who were all called (Jamaat Al Ulama) succeeded to wake the war against the French. Ironically, the usage of French begins to develop again; as the teachers and the scholars are all educated in French. However, Algeria is newly independent country; it still depend on what the colonization left behind. Although French is the language of the enemy, but it is also the language of education and technology while Arabic is the langauge of religions. (Maamri,

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