Marrakech – A highly anticipated report from the ad hoc thematic working group on language policy in Morocco suggested that Tamazight is the original language and was the predominant language in the North African country before the Islamic conquest.
The comprehensive 161-page document, a copy of which was shared with Morocco World News (MWN), was published in July 2024.
The report’s authors include members of the House of Councillors (the upper house of the Moroccan Parliament).
It provides an in-depth look at the complex linguistic landscape in the country, the history of language policies, and recommendations for the future.
Tamazight’s history dates back to pre-Christian times and belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family. It is characterized by its diverse dialects and cultural richness, and has played a fundamental role in shaping Morocco’s indigenous cultural identity.
According to the report, Tamazight has evolved over time, leading to the emergence of several dialects in Morocco that differ in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.
The linguistic landscape of the Amazigh language that we know today includes three major dialects: Tashelhit spoken by the inhabitants of the High and Middle Atlas mountains, Tamazight spoken by the inhabitants of the Middle Atlas, and Tarifit spoken by the inhabitants of the Rif region.
The Arabic language arrived in Morocco with the Islamic conquest in the 7th century AD, becoming the language of religion, culture and administration since that time, brought by Arab Muslims who came from the Arabian Peninsula, according to the report.
During the time, the Amazigh language was greatly influenced by Arabic, leading to the emergence of various Moroccan Arabic dialects, while pure Tamazight continued to be used in some areas.
French and its lasting colonial impact
French entered the Moroccan linguistic landscape during the protectorate period – the era of French and Spanish colonialism in the last century – turning into the official language of administration and higher education, while Spanish was used in some northern regions.
The French language evolved in Morocco over the decades with increased interaction with the languages existing in the linguistic fabric during the protectorate period. This led to the emergence of some French words within the Moroccan Arabic (Darija) that is present in the country today.
After independence in 1956, the linguistic fabric in Morocco witnessed new developments, with Classical Arabic being recognized as an official language, alongside Tamazight which was constitutionalized in 2011.
However, French still plays an important role in the fields of education, media and business, which poses several challenges for Morocco’s linguistic fabric.
Read also: Morocco’s Multilingual Amazigh: The Pursuit of Languages Amid Fight for Recognition
The official document presented the challenges that stand in the way of Morocco applying a clearer and more effective language policy, while providing the necessary resources to support linguistic pluralism and enhance the status of official languages in society.
The report notes that among the most important existing challenges is “ambiguity and inconsistent application,” adding that “language policy in Morocco lacks sufficient clarity in defining the roles and domains for each language (Arabic, Amazigh, French…), which leads to an inconsistent and unbalanced application in the fields of education, administration and media.”
The committee’s report added that there is “neglect of the two official languages, as despite the recognition of Arabic and Tamazight as official languages, their actual presence is still limited, with a worse situation for the Amazigh language, especially in the field of education.”
They further added, “the unacceptable adoption of the principle of linguistic alternation does not conform with the 2030 strategic vision, nor is it governed by a regulatory text as recommended by Framework Law No. 51.17.”
The report revealed French linguistic dominance, noting that the language still occupies an important position in school and higher education, administration, and the economy, which limits the opportunities for the use of Arabic and Amazigh in these areas.
It highlighted the “monopoly” of this language over two-thirds of learning time in compulsory education, with the rest shared by the two official languages, Arabic and Tamazight, though the official prevalence of the latter in this sphere is still weak.
Linguistic obstacles
The document also spoke of “a confusion between multilingualism and linguistic pollution,” explaining that the lexical interference between vernacular dialects and foreign languages, and the ambiguity in the distribution of functions between standard languages and their branching dialects, leads to the impoverishment of Moroccan dialects by introducing a foreign lexicon that has begun to obliterate their identities.
Furthermore, the authors noted that “the emergence of some voices calling for granting Moroccan colloquial functions that it is not qualified for will only lead to the displacement of the Arabic language.”
They also pointed to a “lack of human and material resources” in the education sector, which is suffering from a shortage of qualified teachers to teach languages, whether official or foreign, as well as a lack of educational tools and specialized programs that support the learning of official languages and facilitate communication between learners.
The authors added, in a reproachful tone, the faltering activation of the official status of Tamazight, especially “the delay in the issuance of Organic Law No. 26.19 eight years after the constitutionalization of Tamazight.”
It noted the “non-compliance with the deadlines set by this organic law related to defining the stages of activating its official character and the modalities of its integration into the field of education and in the priority areas of public life.”
The report warns of the weak engagement of some government sectors in the process of activating the official status of Tamazight.
It also highlights “the social and economic challenges that are linked to linguistic challenges, such as social and regional disparities, which complicates the issue of achieving linguistic justice between the different segments of society, especially those that do not have real opportunities to develop their level of proficiency in languages.”
The report stressed that reconsidering the status of the French language in the education system and administration is an important challenge to achieve linguistic justice and equal opportunities between citizens.
The authors asserted that this should be managed on the basis of “working to rebalance it with the two official languages in the direction of giving priority to Arabic and Tamazight languages, while granting a greater status to the most widely used foreign languages as stated in the constitution, especially the English language.”
The ad hoc thematic working group on language policy in Morocco recommended obligating the government and various national institutions to use the official languages in meetings, when receiving foreign delegations and when representing Morocco in international forums.
The emergence of English
Several campaigns in Morocco have called for the country to adopt English as the primary foreign language in schools, replacing French. Proponents argue that English proficiency is essential for Moroccans to compete in the global economy and access a wider range of educational and professional opportunities.
However, the shift away from French, which has been deeply entrenched in Morocco’s education system since the colonial era, is not without its challenges. The country currently lacks a sufficient number of qualified English teachers and resources to support a rapid transition.
Despite these obstacles, the growing popularity of English among young Moroccans and recent government initiatives to strengthen English language education suggest that Morocco may be gradually moving towards embracing it as its primary foreign language in the coming years.
This shift is seen by some as a way to distance the country from its colonial past and align with the modern demands of the global market.
Read also: Tamazight’s Role In Morocco’s Internationalization Strategy
