Attitudes Towards Languages Among Secondary School And University Learners In Sidi Bel-abbes

Résumé: Language attitudes have been considered in sociolinguistics as an important factor revealing people's reactions towards existing varieties in a given linguistic community. Language attitudes constitute a long-term phenomenon that tends to become more specific over generations. Language learning and language planning appear to have left their mark on the learners` attitudes. This study examines the learners` language attitudes through survey data. An ambivalence of judgments was confirmed as the mother tongue was stigmatized. Yet, the regional identity and loyalty were asserted by all informants. An important issue about prestige came about when it was related to school instruction. Language Learning hasproved to be influential. Thus, Standard Arabic as well as the foreign languages are judged favourably. The process of language standardization and language planning seem to have influenced the aspects that the informants would like to promote. In an effort to uncover male female parameters, it was admitted that the differences were not noticeable. The influence of the university language learning was indeed noticed as it was found out that there were differences between groups. It was found out that the prominence of a foreign language can have a positive impact as French speakers were considered favourably. However, external forces such as political conflicts can create negative stereotypes for another language as it was the case with English speakers, who are also associated with positive criteria. The case of Berber that was recognized by the government as a national language was examined. The external level, that is, the political doctrine did not influence the attitudes of Sidi Bel Abbes learners. It was found out that negative criteria were selected. The results revealed that informants select unfavourable opinions for a variety that they neither speak nor learn.The data suggested that the status of Berber speakers is reduced. Language learning fostered positive opinions as the target language was selected in various activities. Thus, the differences between groups were remarkable. As far as language selection in speech situation was concerned, language shift in accordance with language learning increasingly affected the informants` competence. So Algerian Arabic and Standard Arabic were used by secondary school pupils and university students of Standard Arabic. It was pointed out that the learning of French had its impact on foreign language learners in different activities.

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