'Lahja': The Arabic word for dialect speaks of tradition and pride

The National

16-05-2025

In April, the UAE set out plans to ensure only its citizens can speak in Emirati dialect and wear national dress when filming social media content. The decision was made to protect and preserve the country's identity. Abdulla Al Hamed, chairman of the UAE National Media Office, posted on X: 'The Emirati dialect is a rich vessel of vocabulary and meanings that store within its letters the memory of a nation.' Our Arabic word of the week is lahja, which means dialect. The plural for the word is lahjat. In the Middle East, every country has its own lahja, with deeper differences found from one city to another. A lahja is a vital part of an Arab person's identity. It is how others can recognise where a person is from. Some parts of the Arab world use an old and distinct lahja. For example, Al Shehhi and Al Hebsi tribes speak in a unique lahja, one that other Arabic speakers might not immediately understand. Even Arabic culture itself is inherited through different dialects. While most people can speak and understand a classical Arabic dialect, one that is used in official settings, different dialects that carry a people's tradition and customs. In the Gulf, each country's lahja differs in tone, cadence and vocabulary. Countries that border each other may see a lot of crossovers but the distinction remains. The UAE's lahja can be differentiated from emirate to emirate, but they all fall under the umbrella of the Emirati lahja. A lahja is also generational. As children grow up, they would learn to speak their family's lahja, but also adopt one that others in their age group would converse in. While a grandmother and a grandchild in the UAE could be speaking in an Emirati dialect, the circumstances of their surroundings and upbringing could make a difference in the way they speak. While people across the Arab world take pride in their shared Arabic language, there is even deeper pride in the dialects that differentiate them. So much so, that there is a common phrase in Arabic that says: 'to know a people is to speak in their dialect'.