260
The Arabic Language
During the long years of French occupation (Morocco 1912–56; Algeria
1830–1962; Tunisia 1881–1956), the population of the ‘colonies’
was constantly
exposed to the French language and French culture. Even though the official aim
of educating the indigenous population as inhabitants of the French empire with
equal rights was rarely, if ever, put into practice, it remained the framework in
which relations between French and Arabs were defined. In practice, only a small
elite of the Arab inhabitants of the colonies got the chance to learn French. These
individuals became Gallicised to such a degree that they adopted the French
language, and French literature
and culture as their own; when it turned out
that even with this education and attitude they would never be accepted as real
French citizens, this small class of French Arabs became the core of the opposition
movement to French domination.
For the population at large, some knowledge of
French was indispensable in their dealings with the French administration, but
most people were denied any formal education in the language.
Dostları ilə paylaş: