Latest news with #Jouf
Arab News
4 days ago
- Arab News
Saudi citizen turns farm into rural attraction in Jouf
RIYADH: The agricultural areas of Jouf are a popular summer evening destination during the school break. The region's mild evening weather in July makes its farms, resorts, and parks especially appealing. Evening temperatures in Sakaka average around 27 degrees Celsius, providing a pleasant setting for family outings, according to the Saudi Press Agency. West of Sakaka, Yousef Al-Haizan has turned his farm into a summer family destination, combining leisure and hospitality with agricultural heritage. Driven by his interest in agriculture and attachment to his land, Al-Haizan has added modern amenities while preserving the farm's local character. The site offers open-air seating under trees, areas for activities like horseback riding and motorbiking, and traditional spaces serving Saudi coffee and dates. The effort is part of a wider initiative to promote rural tourism and engage residents in regional development, the SPA reported. Covering about 70,000 sq. meters, the farm also includes an equestrian area boasting lessons for all ages; rural-style settings reflecting Jouf's heritage; a Bedouin tent; and other basic visitor amenities.
Arab News
15-07-2025
- General
- Arab News
Between Yalla! and Let's go!
RIYADH: In Saudi Arabia's increasingly globalized society, especially among young people in major cities, there is an easy blending of languages, often switching between Arabic and English in the same conversation. This phenomenon, known as code-switching, has become a linguistic norm that reflects shifting social dynamics, culture and identity. A 2024 study conducted by Kais Sultan Mousa Alowidha at Jouf University found that bilingual Saudis often switch between Arabic and English depending on the context, particularly in casual or professional settings. Saudi students who have studied or grown up abroad find themselves flipping between languages almost unconsciously. Abdullah Almuayyad, a Saudi senior at the University of Washington, Seattle, who has spent more than half his life in the US, spoke to Arab News about his experiences with both languages. 'Comfort really depends on context,' he said. 'Day-to-day I'm equally at ease in either language, but the setting matters.' • The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language in Riyadh has launched several initiatives to strengthen Arabic fluency, both for native speakers and non-native learners. • A 2024 study from Jouf University found that bilingual Saudis often switch between Arabic and English depending on the context, particularly in casual or professional settings. In business settings, he defaults to English because of his education and professional exposure, but casual or family settings feel more natural in Arabic. 'Sometimes my friends tease me because I'll begin a sentence in Arabic, hit a complex business concept, and flip to English mid-stream.' This mental switching, he explained, is often tied to topic-specific language associations. Some topics are assigned to a specific language in his brain. 'Once the topic surfaces, the corresponding language follows automatically.' At an institutional level, efforts to preserve and promote Arabic are gaining traction in Saudi Arabia. The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language in Riyadh has launched several initiatives to strengthen Arabic fluency, both for native speakers and non-native learners. Through academic partnerships, digital tools, and training programs, the academy is playing a key role in ensuring Arabic remains a vibrant and accessible language. The institute reflects a broader national push to reinforce cultural identity amid the linguistic shifts brought on by globalization. Majd Tohme, senior linguist at SURV Linguistics in Riyadh, told Arab News that code-switching is 'a very multi-dimensional issue.' He emphasized that the debate should not hinge on whether code-switching is good or bad. 'What we need to ask ourselves is, does code-switching work in the everyday context? And if it works, isn't that the purpose of any linguistic pattern?' He added that language purism might miss the point entirely. 'You don't have to get involved in that language puritanism … and code-switching is not really something new. Languages are living organisms that evolve,' he explained. Many words we consider native today, he noted, have foreign origins, such as from Persian or European languages, particularly in science and technology. Still, there are concerns about the erosion of Arabic. Tohme acknowledged the threat but said it is not exclusive to Arabic. 'It is a threat to all languages,' he said, especially in the era of globalized communication where the internet has become a shared space dominated by English. 'You now have one internet that the world is sharing,' he explained. 'It's like one huge playground where you have 8 billion people trying to communicate with each other.' And yet, there are signs of balance. Almuayyad, for instance, actively challenges himself and his peers to preserve Arabic fluency. 'In eighth grade, even though my friends and I preferred English, we agreed to speak only Arabic until it felt natural,' he said. 'Later, when my Arabic caught up, I switched and spoke only English with friends who wanted practice.' For many, especially in Saudi Arabia's larger cities, bilingualism no longer means choosing between one language over the other. The constant nudge to challenge each other keeps both languages active and growing. The Jouf University study found that bilingual Saudis strongly identify with both languages and do not believe that speaking English negates their cultural identity. It also concluded that code-switching is often required in larger cities due to the abundance of non-Arabic speakers in public and professional environments. Therefore, code-switching, especially in the Kingdom, appears to be less about identity loss and more about functionality. As Saudi Arabia opens up globally and embraces multiculturalism under Vision 2030, this blending of languages could be seen not as a dilution of heritage, but a reflection of its outward-looking generation. According to Tohme, the psychological impact of going abroad for a few years then returning to your home country also cannot be understated. Students develop a certain nostalgia for home while spending so many years abroad speaking extensively in a foreign language. They may develop the determination to make a conscious effort to strengthen their Arabic-language skills again. Almuayyad is someone who can relate to that and says if he had spent his whole life in the Kingdom, his language development might not have been that different. 'I see a lot of people in Saudi who use English freely because global media and online content are so dominant,' he explained. Yet, he admits that growing up in one place can limit the push to step outside of your linguistic comfort zone. 'My exposure to two cultures forced me to practice that stretch constantly.'
Arab News
24-06-2025
- Arab News
Jouf's historic wells tell timeless stories
RIYADH: In the heart of the Jouf region, the timeless craft of stone building and the use of palm trunks and fronds have revitalized its ancient wells. These historical water sources, once vital for survival, were built using natural, locally sourced materials at no financial cost, a Saudi Press Agency report said recently. Among them, Salma's Well in Sakaka stands out as an educational site for young people. It showcases traditional extraction methods and how locals secured drinking water and irrigated their farms. Heritage expert Ahmed Al-Arfaj said that the wells are made of sandstone, palm trunks, and fronds. Each features key elements: a water distribution channel, a collection basin, and a circular stone to control water flow. Essential tools at the wellhead include a rope and pulley, once used to raise and lower a water bucket. Historically, locals used livestock — such as camels and cows — to extract water, with animals pulling the rope. This practice changed in the 1980s with the introduction of generators, which made the process more efficient, the SPA reported. Today, Salma's Well stands as a vibrant symbol of Jouf's heritage, drawing visitors eager to explore the stories of these ancient wells and experience the region's rich history.
Arab News
27-05-2025
- Arab News
Jouf businesses to feed Hajj pilgrims transiting province
RIYADH: The Jouf Chamber of Commerce has launched an initiative to support pilgrims passing through the region on their way to perform Hajj. The organization in the northern Saudi Arabia province will supply pilgrims with around 300 care packages, including essential hygiene products, when they visit Pilgrim's City in Al-Shaqiq, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. Additionally, local businesses will be stepping up to provide meals and refreshments for the pilgrims as they pass through the province, heading to Makkah and Madinah. The climax of the Hajj season, known as Arafat day, will possibly be on June 5, depending on the sighting of the moon. Volunteers will be on hand to assist the visitors. On Monday, Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court called on Muslims in the country to look for the new moon of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah around dusk on Tuesday. The Hajj is one of the key pillars of Islam and requires pilgrims to perform various rituals at the holy sites in Makkah. After completing the Hajj, many pilgrims travel to Madinah to visit the Prophet's Mosque, before heading home.
Arab News
25-05-2025
- Arab News
Saudi reserve engages pilgrims on biodiversity
RIYADH: Hajj pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom by land were introduced to projects and initiatives of the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority. The initiative aims to enhance biodiversity, restore vegetation and breed endangered species to create a more sustainable natural environment. The authority also distributed educational brochures to raise awareness about environmental preservation, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Pilgrims were welcomed at Al-Shuqaiq in the Jouf region, where more than 4,000 gifts reflecting the reserve's history and conservation efforts were distributed. Visitors were informed about the reserve's environmental heritage, biodiversity, and commitment to sustainable ecological stewardship, the SPA added. The authority works to preserve biodiversity by protecting habitats and creating safe environments for wildlife and plants to thrive. Its achievements include planting more than 2.4 million trees, scattering four tonnes of native seeds and rehabilitating 250,000 hectares of degraded land. The reserve hosts more than 290 documented bird species — about 58 percent of those recorded in the Kingdom — and includes five internationally recognized important bird areas. Covering 130,700 sq. kilometers, the King Salman Reserve is the largest natural terrestrial reserve in the Middle East, spanning four administrative regions: Jouf, Hail, Northern Borders, and Tabuk.
