Reflections On French/Arabic Translation In The Algerian University Context

Abstract

This research is part of a reflection on translation at an Algerian university. Starting from the observation that the French enjoy a special status in Algeria, given the historical and social conditions shared by the two cultures, the university context encompasses this issue.

Indeed, scientific courses are taught in French to an Arabized public throughout their school curriculum. This has led to a permanent recourse to translation,a complex operation. Thus, students translate from one language to another without considering the contexts, pronunciation situations, and metaphors. They are also confronted with another problem: the difference between the two linguistic systems: French, an international language that tolerates changes and neologisms, and Arabic, a Semitic language that does not always accept neologisms.

At the end of our research, we suggest an in-depth analysis of this problem to develop translation tool sheets between the two languages to make the task easier for students.