The origins and functions of the first translators during the French occupation of Algeria

Abstract

The French colonial policy sought to diversify its means in order to extend and tighten its control over Algeria and Algerians, employing French and Algerian translators for many purposes, holding them in various positions in departments and institutions and assigning them translation tasks in order to dominate the Algerian people educationally, politically, commercially, militarily and even financially.  Colonial France also exploited the qualifications of Algerian translators in particular and their knowledge of the linguistic and ideological aspects of the Algerian people to carry out its non-innocent purposes in an effort to contain the Algerian people culturally and civilly.  France made use of translators in order to communicate access and control the general public.  Based on the above, this paper aims at identifying the origins of these first translators, who were appointed by France, and to highlight the functions assigned to them in various military, political and commercial institutions and departments.