Languages of Algeria
| Languages of Algeria | |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Literary Arabic, Tamazight (Berber) |
| Regional languages |
Hassaniya (unrecognized), Korandje (unrecognized) |
| Vernaculars | Algerian Arabic, Algerian Berber, Algerian French |
| Main immigrant languages | Dawsahak |
| Sign languages | Algerian Sign Language |
| Common keyboard layouts |
|
The official languages of Algeria are Modern Standard Arabic (literary Arabic) and Tamazight (Berber), as specified in its constitution since 1963 for the former and since 2015 for the latter. In addition to this, Berber has been recognized as a "national language" by constitutional amendment since 8 May 2002. In February, 2016, the constitution passed a resolution making Berber an official language alongside Arabic. Algerian Arabic and Berber are the native languages of over 99% of Algerians, with Algerian Arabic spoken by about 72% and Berber by 27.4%.French, though it has no official status, is widely used in government, culture, media (newspapers) and education (from primary school), due to Algeria's colonial history. Kabyle, the most spoken Berber language in the country, is taught and partially co-official (with a few restrictions) in parts of Kabylie.
Malika Rebai Maamri, author of "The Syndrome of the French Language in Algeria," said "The language spoken at home and in the street remains a mixture of Algerian dialect and French words." Due to the number of languages and complexity involving those languages, Maamri argued that "[t]oday the linguistic situation in Algeria is dominated by multiple discourses and positions."
Algerian Arabic is the language of 73% of Algeria's population. Non-native speakers learn Literary Arabic at school, and as such a relative majority of the population understands Standard Arabic or the Algerian Arabic dialect. Algerian Arabic (or darija) is spoken by 85% of the total population and 83% of Arab speakers.
...
Wikipedia