Multilingualism In Algeria Tamazight Through Media: A Reading In The Language And Its Cultural Dimensions

Abstract

Algeria is among the states that embrace languages and distinct dialects that characterize each of its regions and imbed a deeply rooted cultural wealth that expresses the originality of Algeria and its civilizational extension. In addition to the official language that is Arabic, Tamazight is the 2^nd official one. Despite the late recognition of Tamazight as an official language, it has been vivid and used by different Algerian races such as Chaouis, Shelouhs, Mizabs, Touaregs, and Kabyles…etc.

Since the language is the carrier of culture and heritage, it reflects the identity of the individual and his affiliation. Moreover, it preserves his originality and existence mainly in the light of the irrational international openness on the other cultures thanks to the revolution in communication. Hence, the national and local media must set a strategy that aims at preserving the Arabic and Tamazight languages and their cultural dimensions.

Therefore, this analytical study aims at tracking the contents of Tamazight as a language that is “rich” with the cultural connotations through the different Algerian media outlets in order to know the professional media bases used to show its patrimonial elements and dimensions that fused to form the national unity in the light of diversity and difference. In addition, we shall cover the social media and how they tackle the contents of the Tamazight language and culture.

As a result, the main question that arises here is: how do media, regardless their traditional or modern outlets, show Tamazight and its cultural loads? And what are the professional and media bases used for that sake?

Main findings show that Tamazight reflects many cultural dimensions that represent a cultural diversity that can be used and taken advantage of in touristic promotion and in installing the Algerian national identity. Moreover, the temporal space of the Tamazight programs in the Algerian public and private TV channels is very limited and lack creativity and modernity. It is limited to showing the tangible side of the Tamazight culture, not the intangible cultural and literary side. Furthermore, as for social media, there are many Facebook pages that speak about the Tamazight culture; however, they use the Latin or Arabic transcriptions to express Tamazight words. Their posts are limited primarily to the tangible side of the Tamazight culture.