مجلة العلوم القانونية والاجتماعية
Volume 11, Numéro 2, Pages 462-480
2026-06-01
Linguistic Hegemony And Economic Pragmatism: A Critical Analysis Of The Paradigm Shift Toward English In Algerian International Law And Trade
Authors : Chicouche Hamina Sarra .
Abstract
This paper attempts to analyze the dynamics of the active linguistic evolution of the Algerian professional elite, characterized by the accelerated replacement of the French language by English as a working language of international law, commerce, and business. At the intersection of a complex post-colonial sociolinguistic reality of 'linguistic schizophrenia', Algeria is facing Arabization against a Francophone past and Anglophone future. Using a convergent mixed-methods research design, it draws on surveys of the legal and trade community (N=250), and semi-structured interviews with legal and business practitioners. Working with three hypotheses, the research seeks to explore: the role of English skill on arbitration outcomes, civil law trained professionals in a common law language environment, and DBE and export competitiveness. Notwithstanding the necessity of the lingua franca on the international scene, the deep structural malaise of the Algerian higher education system and vocational training explains the 'competence gap', jeopardizing the international contracts and the enforcement of arbitral awards. The conclusion drawn in this paper is that, without a pedagogical revolution from General English to English for Specific Purposes (ESP), the Algerian professional is bound to remain on the sidelines of the global value chain. The report concludes with a suggested roadmap for how to address linguistic capacity needs, balancing national identity and global economic imperatives.
Keywords
Anglicization; ; Arbitration ; English for Specific Purposes (ESP); ; Professional Competence Gap ; Postcolonialism.
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