Culture of Tunisia - Languages

Languages

Tunisia is homogeneous in terms of language, since nearly all of the population speaks French and Tunisian Arabic which is the country's official language. Tunisian Arabic is actually a dialect - or more accurately a set of dialects, for which there is no official body of standards, but is derived from Arabic, French and Italian. Tunisian Arabic is not understood by most Arab speaking countries as it does derive from a mixture of few language. Tunisian is literally is spoken mostly in the context of a daily dialogue within the family. The chelha meanwhile is spoken by less than 1% of the population, mainly in the semi-Berber villages of the south, including Chenini, Douiret, Matmata, Tamezrett, etc., and in some villages of the island of Djerba, mainly Guellala/Iquallalen, Ajim, Sedouikech / Azdyuch and Ouirsighen / At Ursighen.

During the French protectorate in Tunisia, the French introduced many institutions, especially in education, which become a strong vehicle for dissemination. It quickly become a marker of social advancement and openness to more modern and liberal values. From independence, the country gradually became Arabized even if the administration, justice and education had long been bilingual, while the knowledge of European languages has been enhanced by exposure of Tunisia to the continent through the TV. Visas were introduced by the French minister Charles Pasqua in 1986 for population movements between Tunisia and France. In October 1999, commercial establishments are forced to give twice the space for Arabic characters as Latin characters. At the same time, the administration of Tunisia is forced to communicate only in Arabic but only the departments of Defense and Justice and the legislature are actually fully Arabized. Like many other documents produced by the administration, the Official Journal of the Republic of Tunisia, which enacts laws and decrees, is written in Arabic but is translated in French, although this version has no legal value and can not be considered official. In this context, the use of French seemed to be on the decline despite the increased number of graduates of the educational system, which leads to the fact that much of French remains an important social indicator. Since it is widely practiced in the business, the medical world and cultural world, we can even consider that it has gentrified.

Now even if the courses are entirely in Arabic in kindergarten and the first three grades (undergraduate), thereafter, the second cycle of primary and secondary education is half Arabic and half French. English was also taught from the age of 15 from 1970, from the age of 10 years from 1994 and from the age of 14 years from 1997 and then from the age of 12 years in 2000.