While many fields of study seem to only have academic applications, sociolinguistics has many real-world applications. Sociolinguistics examines how various cultural factors impact the use of language, not only in what languages are spoken by people in various groups, but also how that language is spoken by those people. The various factors that can influence the language someone speaks or how they speak a language include, but are not limited to: gender, ethnicity, religion, status, level of education, age, and geographical distribution. The primary languages spoken in Algeria are Algerian Arabic (Darja), Berber, and French.
Some topics related to sociolinguistics and languages in Algeria include:
What role did colonialism play in the introduction of French to Algeria, and does the continues use of French in government, education, the media, and culture reinforce colonial standards?
Are there perceived class differences between Berber speakers and Algerian Arabic speakers in Algeria?
What are the notable differences between Algerian Arabic and Arabic spoken in other places? Are these reflected in cultural or religions differences between different groups of people who self-identify as Arabic, both within and outside of Algeria?
What are the cultural differences between Berber speakers and Algerian Arabic speakers?
What do the calls to replace French with English in Algerian schools say about Algerian perceptions about French-speaking and English-speaking countries? Is there any truth to the notion that English is somehow the language of science? If so, what does that mean?
How has the Berber language influenced Darja and made it separate from the Arabic spoken in other Arabic-speaking countries? What are the similarities in other North African countries, such as Morocco and Tunisia, which had a similar cultural history to Algeria?
How does gender influence the linguistic choices of modern-day Algerians? Are there noticeable gender differences in the languages people speak or how they speak them