A Case Study on the Languages, Culture, and History of the UAE

This case study examines the languages spoken in the United Arab Emirates, with a focus on Arabic and English, and the influence of other languages due to immigration. It explores how UAE culture, rooted in Arabian traditions and Islam, impacts language use and social customs, highlighting the role of the Emirati language in shaping society and linking it to historical backgrounds. The study also discusses the effects of the English language on the UAE culture, particularly its prevalence in education and commerce. Finally, it suggests strategies to preserve the Arabic language for the future, such as promoting modern learning methods and encouraging its use among the youth, advocating for initiatives such as ‘Lughati’ to distribute Arabic-language-designed tablets.

Running head: CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
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1. What are the Languages spoken in the UAE?
The official language spoken in UAE is standard Arabic. Other languages spoken here
include English, Farsi, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, and many other languages. These other foreign
languages are spoken there as a result of immigration. Despite Arabic being the official
language, English remains the most spoken language in cities such as Dubai. The modern
standard Arabic language is commonly used in government departments and official documents.
The language is also used in newspapers, books, and magazines.
The language is founded on the complex Classic Arabic (Raddawi & Meslem, 2015).
The other Arabic version spoken in UAE is Gulf Arabic, mostly spoken in neighboring states of
the Gulf, including Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. The Shihhi version is less spoken
in the United Arab Emirates. In the UAE, English is taught as a second language and used in the
education system.
2. How UAE Culture Influences languages used in UAE?
The United Arab Emirates represents a diverse society. Its culture is based on the Arabian
culture coupled with influences from other cultures such as the Indian Subcontinent and East
Africa. The Islam religion has greatly influenced the local lifestyle, music, attire, architecture,
and cuisine of the UAE population. In the UAE, the weekend starts on Fridays as a result of the
day being the holiest day among the Muslims. An increase in trade in the UAE has led to the
immigration of expatriates from many countries into the country. These immigrants have moved
to the UAE in search of better lives and good jobs. The country has been criticized for promoting
class-based societies in which migrant workers represent the lower class. Despite the increased

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cultural diversities in the country, only a few episodes of cultural and ethnic tensions exist
between the local UAE population and the expatriates.
3. How does the Emirati Language link into the historical background and social custom of
the UAE?
The Emirati society represents a unique mixture of cultures and people. The Emirati
language in relation to its Islamic religion plays an important role in shaping the cultures and
societies of the United Arab Emirates. Islam is the official religion and controls all aspects of life
in the country. Education, clothes, food, laws and daily activities including conversations are
greatly influenced by Islam and the Arabic language (Nickerson, 2015). The Islamic faith
emphasizes on principles such as respect, modesty and generosity which most Emirati
demonstrate. Proper understanding of Islam and the influence it plays on the daily lives of the
Emirati people is critical to conducting effective business in the country.
4. The Effects of English Language on UAE Culture
UAE was a British colony until 1971. Hence, English represents a popular language in
the country. The language is mostly used in the education system and is taught as the second
language to Arabic. English is also used mostly in hotels, commercial businesses, and shops (
Al-Masri & Al-Assaf, 2020). Due to the large community of western expatriates in the country,
English is commonly used compared to Arabic.
5. How can we keep the local language of the UAE alive for the future?
In order to keep the Arabic language alive in UAE, a more modern perception for
learning and teaching of the language should be promoted. The language should be promoted to

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be used as the official language for teaching the Arabs and the foreigners (Faubert, 2019). All
Emirati people especially the youth should be encouraged to use Arabic and display loyalty to it.
Other initiatives such as ‘Lughati’ should be encouraged with the aim of distributing Arabian-
language-designed tablets to be used in student and teacher education programs and applications
in all government schools.

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References
Al-Masri, A. N., & Al-Assaf, Y. (2020). Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility—
Volume 2.
Faubert, S. E. (2019). A Practical Resource for the Social Sciences: A Book Review of Bruce
Friedman's The Research Toolkit–Problem Solving Processes for the Social Sciences.
The Qualitative Report, 24(4), 854-856.
Nickerson, C. (2015). Unity in diversity: The view from the (UAE) classroom. Language
Teaching, 48(2), 235-249.
Raddawi, R., & Meslem, D. (2015). Loss of Arabic in the UAE: Is Bilingual Education the
Solution?. International Journal of Bilingual & Multilingual Teachers of English, 3(02),
85-94.