In Morocco, a lawmaker wants to eradicate French-inflected Darija

The phenomenon of French-inflected Moroccan Darija “has become a component of the daily speech of many Moroccan citizens, whether in public settings or through the media and other domains. The phenomenon manifests itself through the excessive introduction of numerous French terms into everyday conversation, even though correct and appropriate Arabic and Amazigh terms exist that can be used just as easily,” Mohamed Baddou explains in a written question addressed to the Minister of Culture, Youth and Communication.

According to the PPS lawmaker, this foreign phenomenon, which is not limited to any particular category of society, is beginning to have a direct impact on Moroccan culture and linguistic identity. “This phenomenon represents one of the main challenges facing these two languages in today’s Morocco, particularly in the context of continuous interaction with foreign languages,” he insists.

To read: Darija on Wikipedia: a contest that divides

To support his argument, the lawmaker recalled a speech by the late King Hassan II: the sovereign “repeatedly emphasized the need to preserve Moroccan dialects from foreign influences. He had asserted that the Arabic and Amazigh languages represent the foundation of our cultural identity, and that it is imperative to preserve their authenticity in the face of external influences, in order to ensure the protection of our national values and strengthen our cultural and social development.”

The lawmaker further stressed that the Arabic and Amazigh languages, with their cultural and historical heritage, constitute the cornerstone contributing to the construction of a coherent national identity. Hence the need to eradicate the phenomenon of French-inflected Moroccan Darija.