Language Attitudes Towards Arabic and English in the State of Qatar: A study of secondary schoolchildren, in two dual language private schools predominantly attended by Qatari and native Arabic-speaking children

The State of Qatar is an increasingly multicultural and multilingual society. The increased presence of the English language has led to some questions regarding the Arabic language’s vitality within the country. As Qatar aims to modernise into a knowledge-based society while also maintaining its Arab and Islamic culture, the Qatari government had introduced various legislation to promote use of the Arabic language. Research on bilingualism and language attitudes is particularly scarce in the region and studies rarely focus on the views and perceptions of students, particularly those within secondary education. The current research therefore investigated language attitudes of 12 students within two private schools predominantly attended by Qatari nationals, through the distribution of questionnaires examining language preferences and usages both within and outside the classroom. Three teachers from the two schools were also interviewed to understand the practices and implementations of the schools’ linguistic aims. The research aimed to understand whether such attitudes could indicate any language shifts to or from either language. While students noticed a preference for EMI and a lack of Arabic proficiency was noted by pupils and interviewed staff members, the Arabic language was still found to occupy a position of importance, largely due to its cultural and religious links. The research therefore concluded by identifying the need to focus more on developing sustainable Arabic-English bilingual policies, rather than viewing the languages at conflict and giving rise to potential shifts.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

ma

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Akande, Azeezat Omotanwa Asabi

• LG Sefydliadau unigol (Asia. Affrica)
• PJ Semitaidd

Dc Identifier Grantnumber

UWTSD

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.uwtsd.ac.uk:3082