Languages of Morocco
| Languages of Morocco | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Official languages |
Arabic (80–90%) Berber (60–80%) |
| Vernaculars |
Arabic dialects Berber dialects |
| Main foreign languages | French (33–39%) Spanish (21%) English (14%) |
| Sign languages | MSL |
There are a number of languages in Morocco, but the two official languages are Modern Standard Arabic and Amazigh (Berber).Moroccan Arabic (known as Darija) is the spoken native vernacular. The languages of prestige in Morocco are Arabic in its Classical and Modern Standard Forms and French, the latter of which serves as a second language for many Moroccans. According to a 2000–2002 survey done by Moha Ennaji, author of Multilingualism, Cultural Identity, and Education in Morocco, "there is a general agreement that Standard Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, and Berber are the national languages." Ennaji also concluded "This survey confirms the idea that multilingualism in Morocco is a vivid sociolinguistic phenomenon, which is favoured by many people."
There are 20 to 25 million Berber speakers in Morocco, about 60 to 80% of the population. French retains a major place in Morocco, as it is taught universally and serves as Morocco's primary language of commerce and economics, culture, sciences and medicine ; it is also widely used in education and government. Morocco is a member of the Francophonie.
Arabic, along with Berber, is one of two Morocco's official languages, although it is the Moroccan dialect of Arabic, namely Darija, meaning "everyday/colloquial language"; that is spoken or understood, frequently as a second language, by the majority of the population (about 85% of the total population). Many native Berber speakers also speak the local Arabic variant. Arabic in its Classical and Standard forms is one of the two prestige languages in Morocco. Aleya Rouchdy, author of Language Contact and Language Conflict in Arabic, said that Classical/Modern Arabic and French are constantly in conflict with one another, but that most Moroccans believe that the bilingualism of Classical Arabic and French is the most optimal choice to allow for Morocco's development.
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