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Mid East Info
12-03-2025
- General
- Mid East Info
RIT Dubai Researcher Asserts Family Language Policy is Key to Preserving Arabic Among Second-Generation Expats in the UAE
Expert highlights the role of FLP in shaping Arabic language maintenance among UAE expat youth As more Arab expats in the UAE adopt English as their primary language for communication, a researcher from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) of Dubai has been exploring why the language shift from Arabic and how the nation's mother tongue could be sustained among future generations. Assistant Professor of Anthropology Dr. Reem Razem says that the key to preserving the Arabic language lies in a Family Language Policy (FLP), a bottom-up approach, where small changes in homes and communities can significantly shift societal communication. Parents act as catalysts for informal societal change, while mother tongues create a vital connection between offspring and their parents, linking generations to both their past and future. Inspired by observing her own children during COVID-19, Dr. Razem embarked on a study to explore the prevalence of English speaking in the case of the second generation among Arab families. A Jordanian expat and a motherscholar, Dr. Razem explained, 'I have three bilingual sons, and when we were confined to our homes, I began to wonder why my boys spoke English to each other and sometimes responded in English when I addressed them in Arabic. This developed into an autoethnography research project, where I filmed my boys' conversations during the lockdown. This revealed that 30-40% of my sons' speech was in English, whereas conversations between myself and my husband, and when addressing our children was 90-95% Arabic.' Dr. Razem continued, 'I then explored why they use English in conversation at home. Usually, it was to talk about issues related to online learning; in every topic related to English, such as technology-related issues, they would switch to English. The second trend was intriguing because with anything relevant to entertainment, they would switch to English as well. Whether it be music, movies, or a series that they wanted to talk about, they would revert instantly to English. This means they didn't have the Arabic words to discuss it.' Building on her autoethnography study, Dr. Razem extended her research into the wider Jordanian expatriate community to explore whether other families witnessed the same phenomenon. She explained, 'I'm a part of a social media group for Jordanian mothers in the UAE. I noticed so many posts delving into language shift, parents being unhappy and frustrated with Arabic language loss, and their children not understanding or valuing Arabic. The majority of the posts on the subject were seeking advice on how to instil the love of Arabic, revitalise and preserve the Arabic language in their children's upbringing, and encourage them to use Arabic at home and in their communities.' Dr. Razem found that there were a number of issues impacting Arabic literacy, including the shift to English as a medium of instruction in schools and universities, which meant English had become the language of communication and education. She also pointed to small, unconscious acts, such as selecting English over Arabic at an ATM, which were contributing to the decline in usage. Discussing potential strategies to boost Arabic language use, Dr. Razem concluded, 'There is an intersectionality between the role of the parents at home and the role of the immediate community, and then the crucial role of schooling. We must consciously choose to preserve the language through a bottom-up approach. Family is a nucleus of social change, and taking small steps to raise awareness and practice Arabic can help to create a larger-scale movement. Much like the Butterfly Effect, where a seemingly small flap of wings can trigger far-reaching consequences, the decisions parents make daily, such as the language they choose to speak at home, the schools they select, and the day-to-day social and cultural practices they emphasise, carry the potential to reverse language shift and preserve Arabic as a cornerstone of identity and heritage.'
Khaleej Times
11-03-2025
- General
- Khaleej Times
Dubai professor calls for ‘family language policy' to boost Arabic use among youth
A professor from a Dubai university has emphasised that the key to preserving the Arabic language lies in implementing a 'family language policy' (FLP). Dr Reem Razem, an assistant professor from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Dubai, highlighted that a bottom-up approach, with small changes at the family and community level can spark a significant shift in societal communication, ultimately helping to protect and promote Arabic. The Arab expert explained that parents play a crucial role in driving informal societal change. The use of mother tongues, she said, forms a vital connection between children and their parents, linking generations to both their past and future. This idea was sparked by her observations of her own children during the Covid-19 lockdown, which led her to embark on a study exploring the prevalence of English speaking among the second generation in Arab families. Drawing from personal experience As a Jordanian expat with three bilingual sons, Dr Razem noticed a language shift during the lockdown. "When we were confined to our homes, I began to wonder why my boys spoke in English to each other and sometimes responded in English when I addressed them in Arabic," she said. This curiosity led her to undertake an autoethnography research project, where she filmed her sons' conversations. The results revealed that 30-40 per cent of their speech was in English. '(But) Conversations between myself and my husband, and when addressing our children, was 90-95 per cent Arabic,' she shared. She identified key factors influencing this language shift. 'When discussing topics related to online learning or technology, my children would often switch to English,' she explained. 'Similarly, anything related to entertainment, like music, movies, or series would prompt them to use English. This means that they didn't have the Arabic vocabulary for those subjects." Building on her autoethnography (qualitative research method) study, Dr Razem expanded her research to include the wider Jordanian expat community in the UAE. She discovered a common theme across social media groups for Jordanian mothers in the UAE — many expressed frustration over their children's loss of Arabic. 'I noticed so many posts delving into language shift, parents being unhappy and frustrated with Arabic language loss, and their children not understanding or valuing Arabic. The majority of the posts on the subject were seeking advice on how to instil the love of Arabic, revitalise and preserve the Arabic language in their children's upbringing, and encourage them to use Arabic at home and in their communities,' she shared. Issues impacting Arabic literacy Dr Razem found that there were a number of issues impacting Arabic literacy, including the shift to English as a medium of instruction in schools and universities, which meant English had become the language of communication and education. She also pointed to small, unconscious acts, such as selecting English over Arabic at an ATM, which were contributing to the decline in usage. Discussing potential strategies to boost Arabic language use, she added that there is an intersectionality between the role of the parents at home and the role of the immediate community, and the crucial role of schooling. 'We need to make a conscious choice to preserve the language through a bottom-up approach. Family is a nucleus of social change and taking small steps to raise awareness and practice Arabic can help to create a larger-scale movement,' she said. Dr Razem likened this to the Butterfly Effect, where small, deliberate actions can set off far-reaching consequences. 'The decisions parents make daily, such as the language they choose to speak at home, the schools they select, and the day-to-day social and cultural practices they emphasise, carry the potential to reverse language shift and preserve Arabic as a cornerstone of identity and heritage,' she explained. Strategies in preserving Arabic Meanwhile, educators in the country agree that family language policy plays a key role in preserving Arabic among second-generation expatriates in the UAE. 'Parents can promote the use of Arabic at home, encouraging daily reading and conversation, while communities can support cultural and educational activities that reinforce linguistic identity. Providing engaging educational and recreational environments in Arabic also helps to establish it among new generations,' Abhilasha Singh, Principal Shining Star International, Abu Dhabi said. Experts pointed out children have a remarkable ability to acquire multiple languages effortlessly from an early age. 'When they are encouraged to express themselves freely in both Arabic and English, they are not only equipped for a diverse social life but also develop an open-minded perspective, where differences are accepted as natural rather than as sources of conflict,' said Girish Hemnani, Life Coach and Energy Healer based in Dubai. 'This bilingual foundation erases cognitive dissonance, allowing children to navigate various cultures seamlessly. It fosters intellectual flexibility, improves problem-solving abilities, and enhances emotional intelligence — skills that are invaluable in today's interconnected world,' Girish added.
