Language Barriers for Algerian Doctors educated in French: Overcoming Challenges in English- Language Conferences and Medical Research

Abstract

Algeria is characterised by its cultural and linguistic diversity including: Arabic, French and English language as a result of the colonization. The dominance of English language across different fields and its presentation as the language of science and knowledge, has drawn Algeria`s attention to adopt it as a second language in the country. However, in the medical field, doctors suffer from language challenges that prevent them from reaching the latest international research. In this context, this research attempts to investigate how language barriers hinder their participation in English-language professional contexts such as medical conferences and accessing up-to-date medical research. It explores strategies to overcome these barriers, facilitating better integration into international medical discourse. A mixed method approach was applied in which online questionnaire and three interviews used to collect reliable data. The sample population was 60 doctors from various cities in Algeria, specifically Oran, Algiers and Annaba`s Faculty of Medicine. The findings have revealed that language barriers impact the productivity of Algerian doctors educated in French while attending English language medical conferences and their ability to access the latest international research. In the conclusion of this investigation, to overcome this gap, some recommendations are suggested in order to aid the Algerian doctors navigate today’s English-dominated medical landscape, and overcome the barriers to improve their contribution to global medical research. This research is a significant addition to the field of English for specific purposes.