Bilingualism in Training and in the Professional Environment among Moroccan Laureates in Private Law

Authors

  • Abdelghani Brija

    Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences, University Mohammed V of Rabat, Rabat, Morocco

  • Assia Marfouq

    Laboratoire Ingénierie Didactique, Entrepreneuriat, Arts, Littérature et Langues (LIDEAL), Hassan First University of Settat, Settat, Morocco

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v6i5.6829
Received: 3 July 2024 | Revised: 16 August 2024 | Accepted: 30 August 2024 | Published Online: 15 November 2024

Abstract

The linguistic landscape of Morocco is characterized by its complexity and diversity, the result of a rich history and a unique cultural blend. Several languages coexist, each playing a specific role in society: Arabic, Amazigh, French, and English. French, a legacy of the colonial period, occupies a prominent place in business, diplomacy, media, and particularly in the educational system, especially in higher education. This bilingualism, or even trilingualism, creates a significant linguistic gap when students transition from secondary education in Arabic to higher education predominantly in French, posing a major challenge for many students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds or rural areas. This abrupt transition leads to adaptation difficulties at the university level, affecting students' academic performance. They have to master both academic concepts and be fluent in the French language as well. As French language instructors at the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences-Souissi in Rabat, we feel the need to study the Arabic/French bilingual practice among students in private law. This article presents the linguistic situation in Morocco, then moves on to analyze the bilingual specificities of students in training and professional settings through a semi-structured interview survey. The latter is supposed to suggest practical recommendations for better adaptation of language courses to this professional training.

Keywords:

Bilingualism; Training; Professional Environment; Moroccan Laureates; Private Law

References

[1] Benitez-Fernandez, M., Miller C., De Ruiter J.J., et al., 2013. Evolution des pratiques et représentations langagières dans le Maroc du XXIe siècle. l’Harmattan: Paris, France.

[2] Messaoudi, L., 2010. La langue française au Maroc, fonction élitaire ou utilitaire? In: dans Blanchet, P., Martinez, P. (éds.). Pratiques innovantes du plurilinguisme, émergence et prise en compte en situations francophones. Éditions des archives contemporaines: Paris, France. pp. 51–63.

[3] Youssi, A., 2013. Impératifs linguistiques, inerties socioculturelles. Langage et société. 143(1), 27–40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3917/ls.143.0027

[4] Ennaji, M., 2005. Multilingualism, cultural identity, and education in Morocco. Springer Science & Business Media: New York, NY, USA.

[5] Aboukacem, E., 2005. Nationalisme et construction culturelle de la nation au Maroc: processus et réactions. thèse de doctorat en anthropologie sociale. Ehess.

[6] Nifaoui, A., 2021. Le statut du Français au Maroc face à l’hégémonie de l’Anglais: attitudes des apprenants envers le Français et l’Anglais. Journal of Applied Language and Cultural Studies. 4, 121–142.

[7] Marfouq, A., 2023. Analyse descriptive des erreurs d’orthographe interlinguales des étudiants marocains de l’Institut des Sciences du Sport. Cas de la langue spécialisée. STUDII ŞI CERCETĂRI FILOLOGICE SERIA LIMBI ROMANICE. 1(34), 17–34. Available from: https://www.philologie-romane.eu/files/5717/2320/8244/Forma_finala_34.2023.pdf

[8] Marfouq, A., 2023. TIC au service de l’évaluation pédagogique à distance. De l’expérience d’évaluation à l’évaluation de l’expérience. Cas de l’Institut des Science du Sport de l’Université Hassan Premier de Settat-Maroc. Réflexions Sportives. 3, 240–254. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34874/IMIST.PRSM/refsport-i3.44401

[9] Mangiante, J.M., Parpette, C., 2011. Le Français sur objectif spécifique: de l'analyse des besoins à l'élaboration d'un cours. Hachette, France.

[10] Carras, C., 2010. La co-construction du savoir lexical dans les discours didactiques: dialogisme et identité disciplinaire, le cas des cours magistraux. Colloque International “Spécificités et diversité des interactions didactiques: disciplines, finalités, contextes”. Université de Lyon - ICAR - CNRS - INRP, 24–26 June 2010, LYON, INRP, France.

[11] Dufour, S., Parpette, C., 2017. Le cours magistral: Questions d’analyse de discours, questions de didactique. Les carnets du cediscor. 13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/cediscor.1023

[12] Hamadou, I., 2021. Dynamique historique de l’emprunt linguistique en milieu sportif: cas des footballeurs au Nord-Cameroun. Réflexions Sportives. 1, 36–51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34874/IMIST.PRSM/refsport-i1.29175

[13] Karsenti, T., Garry, R.P, Benziane, A., 2008. Former les enseignants du XXIème siècle dans toute la francophonie, 11ème ouvrage du RIFEFF. Presses Universitaires Blaise Pascal: France.

[14] Messaoudi, L., 2016. La fracture linguistique dans l'enseignement scientifique au Maroc: quelles remédiations. Revue Langues, culture et société. 2(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.48384/IMIST.PRSM/lcs-v2i1.5786

[15] Alin, C., 2000. Gestes professionnels aux Antilles. L'interculturel en question (Louis Marmoz et Marc Derij éd.). L'Harmattan: Paris, France. pp. 102–168.

[16] Alkhudair, R.Y., 2019. Professors and undergraduate students perceptions and attitudes toward the use of code-switching and its function in academic classrooms. International Journal of English Linguistics. 9(6), 160–171.

[17] El Malki, M., Belhadj M., 2022. L’enseignement du texte littéraire à l’aune des soft skills: perspectives didactique et culturelle. Revue Repères Littéraires, Langagiers et artistiques RELILART. 2, 186–195. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34874/PRSM.relilart-vol0iss2.36701

Downloads

How to Cite

Abdelghani Brija, & Marfouq, A. (2024). Bilingualism in Training and in the Professional Environment among Moroccan Laureates in Private Law. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 6(5), 783–792. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v6i5.6829