Ecology of the English Language in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example

ECOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN SAUDI ARABIA Insert your name Subject 24th April 2012 Introduction English language is very important as a means of communication. English has been widely used and considered to be a universal language. This more so as a second language where it has become important for people all over the world to learn and use it. English language is a widely spoken language all over the world. This is evident in many countries where when one combines native and non-native speakers, English becomes the most widely spoken language. English as we know has 1.8 billion speakers worldwide making it the most widely spoken language. In Saudi Arabia, English is very important and although Arabic is the official language in the country, English is widely used and learned. Even though the political class only accepted the ecology or interaction of English with the Arabian society recently, English, as a second language has been made compulsory in all Saudi’s schools as one of their major subject clearly showing the importance of English language literature. In addition, it is highly appreciated in business circles as the business language as it is very powerful that it has been used when negotiating business. The government of Saudi Arabia does not restrict the use of English language at all levels. 1. What is the classification of English in relation to other languages? (This is a generic question, not related solely to the specific context you are describing, to help you warm up’ to the task. A fairly brief answer is expected here; other questions will require more detail and discussion.) English is classified as a foreign second language which enjoys a number of advantages compared to other languages spoken in Saudi Arabia. This is because English is a compulsory language in Saudi schools and is uses in business set ups as well as socially. Other non-native languages including the widely spoken Urdu, the Pakistan national language, are not given such priority by the school curriculum in Saudi Arabia. English is used as a second language in most counties in the world. Although English is termed as a second language in most parts of the world, it is the language most used and adapted in most countries, second to their native or national language. The movement of English around the world began with the pioneering voyages to the Americas, Asia, and the Antipodes, continued with the 19th-century colonial developments in Africa and the South Pacific, and took a significant further step when it was adopted in the 20th century as an official or semi-official language by many newly independent states. English is now the dominant or official language in over 60 countries. The present-day world status of English compared to other languages is primarily the result of two factors: the expansion of British colonial power, which peaked towards the end of the19th century, and the emergence of the United States as the leading economic power of the 20th century. Other reasons why English has been widely embraced, more than any other language in the world, apart from historical and economic reasons above include:- intellectual reasons, ease of international relations and entertainment. 2. Who are its learners and users in your chosen context? This requires you to locate its users with respect to locale, age, gender, class, religion or any other relevant grouping. The use of English in Saudi Arabia has been termed to be capable of providing indexical pointer to certain social aspects at play in the country (Jenkins 2000). The primary learners of the English language in Saudi Arabia are students in both elementary classes up to tertiary level. In deed a good percentage of students opt to study English with the intention of using it as a career. They can later become professional teachers or interpreters of the English language. This is a fairly lucrative career in Saudi Arabia today considering that many have realized the imperative of learning the language to general economic and social mobility. (Bersazmina 2009) points out that the knowledge acquired throughout the world is today stored in English. One would therefore be risking perpetual ignorance by choosing to ignore the language. Fortunately the policy makers in Saudi education and the general public is aware of this fact. Efforts are therefore made to promote the learning and use of English together with native languages in the region. With regard to the social groupings of people who learn English in Saudi Arabia, it is notable that the majority constitute the youthful persons. This is mainly because of the requirement of compulsory study of English in schools. A scrutiny of class stratification reveals that it is the more sophisticated and wealthier people in Saudi Arabia who learn and speak English. Gheanam (2011) points out that English has fast become a norm among the youth in Saudi Arabia. She further notes; “In spite of Arabic being their mother tongue, there is a growing trend among Saudi youth, particularly those at high school and in university, to talk to one another in English. The tendency to speak English is borne from an urge to look professional and seem modern.” Some private institutions in the Saudi Arabia are teaching new employees English so as to qualify working with them. One of the companies that make use of English language in its operations is the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) which is the state owned oil company of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Another notable company that emphasizes the use of English in the company is the SABIC Company which is the largest and most profitable non-oil company in the Middle East, it is a public company based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The users of English in the company, ARAMCO and SABIC as well as the medical sector in the Saudi Arabia, demonstrates the vast users of English in the corporate world in Saudi Arabia. Gheanem (2011) contends that English is in vogue presently mainly due to the fact that most employers highly regard the language during recruitment. Evidence of the widespread use of English can be seen easily in the mode of greeting which has changed from the traditional one to “Hallo and Good morning” Drawing parallels from other multilingual countries in which English has enjoyed dominant usage may also help to give pointers to who actually uses English in Saudi Arabia. A survey of English usage in parts of east Africa led to the conclusion that is best understood through the following quote: “Who becomes bilingual in Africa? The simple answer is, almost everyone who is mobile, either in a socio-economic or a geographical sense. While there are monolinguals in Africa, the typical person speaks at least one other language in addition to their first language for instance French or English.” (Berszamina 2009). Similarly, it can authoritatively be said that it is generally those who actively engage both socially and economically who find an imperative to learn and us English as an addition to Arabic in Saudi Arabia. 3. What are its domains of use? This requires you to analyze whether its use is unrestricted or limited in specific ways. Examples of domains could include the family, education, employment, friendship, or government administration (Haugene 1953).The domains of English in Saudi Arabia are varied. The majority of the people in Saudi Arabia are native speakers of the Arabic language which is highly favored and referred to as the… “Language of the quorun”... In view of this therefore it is notable that the use of English is restricted to non-religious contexts such as trade work and education. The trend is also indicative of les use of English as between native speakers except in very isolated cases that will normally involve the younger generation. Within the family set up it is also unlikely that English will be spoken by members of the family. This is especially so because the Saudi culture tends to promote extended family associations and also relatives living together in the same household. There is a general tendency for the older generation to frown upon the enthusiasm with which young people have embraced the use of English. This is because as (Mesthrie et al. 200) puts it, the use of English is a threat to the Arabic culture and a very real risk of the Arabic language being forgotten is being run by the younger generation. It would be presumed therefore that English, while not being strictly restricted within the homes, would hardly be spoken among native Arab speakers in Saudi Arabia. 4. What concurrent languages are employed by its users? For example, what is the degree of bilingualism/multilingualism among the population, and the degree of overlap among the languages? In what ways (if any) is the use of English related to nationalism and the development of the country’s national identity? The official language of all Arab countries is modeled on classical Arabic. Saudi Arabia being one of them, it exerts a continuing influence on the form of it is modern variant because the holy Quran has one written form. Arabic language is the standard language of more than fifteen countries, such as, Egypt, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Jordan, Libya, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Algeria and Tunisia. In Saudi Arabia there are some dialects. Apart from Arabic, other languages spoken in Saudi Arabia include Urdu, Farsi and Turkish. Speakers of all these languages use English concurrently and often practice what (Milory and mysken, 1995) describes as “code switching “This is essentially the use of two different languages at the same time while addressing the same person. All these languages are closely related to the Arabic language and this result in a measure of overlapping of the languages. The use of English may be viewed as a sort of unifying factor in the long run. Two schools of thought exist on the issue of the impact or contribution of English to the achievement of national goals in Saudi Arabia. There are those who hold the view that English is a threat to the national identity and largely Islam influenced culture. On the other hand there are those who believe that embracing the use of English on a large scale will safeguard the interest of the country and promote attainment of national agendas in a more fast tracked fashion compared to where English was not in use. Indeed the impact of the use of English on notions of nationalism is rather multifaceted. When national identity is interpreted as the undisturbed continuance of certain cultural activities and a promotion of values that are deemed beneficial for peaceful co-existence then the use of English may largely threaten this. This is because the use of English opens up the whole western world to speakers especially through the media. It will therefore be inevitable for people particularly the young to emulate and question their own values vis-à-vis those of foreigners. Chances are that people who speak English and are exposed to alternative lifestyles may not promote the single identity that has been viewed as perfect among Saudi Arabians of the past. 5. Internal Varieties of English in Saudi Arabia. Among the non-Saudi population, many people speak Urdu, the official language of Pakistan, and other Asian languages such as Farsi and Turkish. In Saudi, there are differences between the dialects spoken in urban areas and those spoken in rural areas. The pronunciation and type of English spoken in the rural areas is mixed up with the different accents of different inhabitants and is not as polished as the one in urban areas. In the urban areas many people in the work force and students got a chance to study abroad and hence embracing the type of English spoken in the country they went to study. At the same time the varieties in the urban areas vary again depending on whether it is spoken by a visitor in Saudi, a Saudi Arabian who studied abroad or a Saudi Arabian who learnt English locally. 6. What is the nature of its written traditions in this context? Is it used for official notices and publications? Is there a local literary tradition? Consider also how these relate to speech forms and domains. More and more Saudi youth are communicating regularly in English because they feel that demonstrating proficiency in the English language is not only the popular thing to do, but also demonstrates competency and professionalism. Renad Ghanem writing in Arab News recently talked about the prevalence of the English language in the Kingdom, especially among young Saudis.  Ghanem said that when recruiting employees, many companies believe English fluency is vital. Noting, “The trend is such that many people are seen substituting common Arabic greetings, such as Assalam alaykum, with hellos and good mornings.” English-speaking is widely popular in the professional world in Saudi Arabia, but some fear that it threatens Arab culture, tradition, and identity. Youngsters hope that frequent use of English, among friends, at work, and in some cases at home, will help improve fluency. Others feel that English should only be used when necessary, such as when talking with a non-Arabic speaking person, but is otherwise disrespectful and ostentatious. The use of written English is evident in a number of contexts in Saudi Arabia. Although often characterized by notably poor spelling particularly in notices, it is none the less in use. Indeed the use of written English is mandatory in certain sensitive ministries such as for medical purposes for instance a diagnosis or prescription may be put down in English. Also in the aviation industry it has been found imperative to use written English together with Arabic. This can mainly be found in communication by travel agents, warnings and instructions within the plane and also material available for leisure reading such as magazines. Manufacturers form yet another distinct group of written English users. Descriptions of manufactured products and their uses will normally include an English translation. Widespread use of written English both as a language of instruction and learning purposes can be found in the military and also key universities such as King Fahd university of Petroleum and minerals.  Written English has impacted on its domain on Saudi Arabia considerably. This is because its use, for instance in the descriptions of consumer products means that everyone will at least have an idea of the nature of written English. The words also create a curiosity which is an important impetus in the deciding to learn the language. The use of written English as a means of communicating important messages has also increased its use both at home and at the workplace for majority of native Arab speakers. 7. To what degree has its written form been standardized in this context? Has it been unified and codified in a way specific to this context? Is there a prescriptive grammar and a dictionary? (The answer to these last questions is likely to be yes’ for most contexts – but you may be surprised once you start digging ...) The need for learning English as a second language in Saudi Arabia has mostly been motivated by a perceived gap between the kingdom and the rest of the world in areas that are considered crucial for general development. As a result the development to include English in the school curriculum for instance is rather novel. As a result not much has in fact been achieved with regard to standardization of English. Limited means of translation services are available online but there is yet to be introduced a standard Arabic English dictionary. The use of written English has taken a sector specific approach to a large extent so that those in particular fields tend to only learn what will be useful for the performance of their specific functions at work. These specific areas are identifiable from the following quote adopted from Berszamina (2009) “The English language is now the lingua franca of the modern world. English is the main medium of world trade, information technology, global universities, and globalization. Most contracts binding multinational companies are drafted and written in English, including major international laws, treaties, and agreements that have major effects on global politics and wide-scale trade and industry. Because of the far-reaching effects and influence of globalization, whose official language is English and whose official tool is IT, nations are now looking at many ways to cope with fast-paced international developments, and of which is by uplifting the quality of their education to global standards.” 8. What kinds of institutional support has English won in this context, in government, education, or private organizations, either to regulate its form or propagate/control its use – and how successful have this official support been? Are there other less official inducements? Challenges in the teaching of English have been documented widely with various hypotheses being forwarded as an explanation of the difficulty. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has however been steadfast in promoting the learning of the language. (berznamina 2009) reports that the need to teach English was largely a result of international pressure. He notes; “Because of international pressure, Saudi Arabia's Higher Committee on Education Policy mulled a program that aimed at introducing English language as part of primary schools' curriculum (Elyas 2008, p.28-48). This decision was for the purpose of inculcating in the minds of the Saudi youths the idea of open-mindedness and recognition of others, and the notion of living peacefully with people from other races and cultures” (Elyas 2008, p.28-48). Much has been done and more still needs to be done to ensure a higher rate of literacy in the English language both among students and professionals. The key forms of institutional support that are identifiable include provision for teaching at major institutions of higher learning. There are a total of five universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. Among these are those that can facilitate learning up to master, and doctorate level. This in itself is a major impetus that the language is getting the necessary institutional support. This is because persons with the level of skill and knowledge acquired at tertiary level will definitely improve the level of understanding should they become teachers for instance an enhanced capacity among English speaking professionals augers well with the entrenchment of the language as an everyday tool of communication particularly where it is a minor language as it is in Saudi Arabia The existence of the British council at Saudi Arabia can also be identified as a form of institutionalization of the English language. Part of the mandate of British council offices throughout the world is enhance usage of the English language through availing both material support to improve capacity of learners and other users of the language in non-Anglophone regions of the world. British council has three branches which are located in the main cities in Saudi Arabia. National institutions in Saudi Arabia have also embraced the use of English and notable ones such as the Saudi electricity company have as part of their policy the teaching of English to new employees. Proficiency in the use of English is viewed as a plus when it comes to employability in Saudi Arabia. The growing number of English teaching institutions is also a reliable pointer towards deliberate action on the part of Saudi kingdom to institutionalize English in the country. There are a lot of private institutes teaching English. This has provided potential English learners with options and motivation to learning English. Examples of key institutions that teach English in Saudi Arabia include the Alfaisal international academy, Aljazeera Academy, and Alkhaleej Training institute. Part of the school’s curriculum as endorsed by the ministry of education provides English as subject all the way from the intermediate high school. Regulations are to the effect that the language be taught for at least l 45 minutes each day. By any standards this is intensive teaching of the language aimed not only for examination purposes but rather to facilitate everyday use of the language in Saudi Arabia. There are some languages that are used for government international purpose such as that for economic, technology, medical, and so on. In Saudi Arabia there are two universities that are teaching some European languages, King Saud University which has Faculty of Languages and Translation that include some languages such as French, Turkish, Italian language and the second university which is King Abullaziz which have a Department of European Languages include English and French. In additional, King Abdullah has Foreign Scholarship Program. This program was established in 2005 and still ongoing to send students around the world, such as United States, England, German, China, France, Pakistan and Canada. This program has sent more than 35 thousand and according to the ministry of education that will increase the users of languages in the near future. 9. What are the attitudes of its users towards English in terms of intimacy and status, leading to (potential) personal identification or rejection? The use of English has been said to be in vogue in Saudi Arabia currently. It is an indicator of sorts for a person’s social identity and even level of open mindedness and general awareness. There are some among the youthful generation, some of whom admit to using English even with native Arab speakers. This they term as part of the practice that eventually makes perfect English. The key motivation for this is largely attributable to the fact that English literacy and to an extent, fluency is a major determinant for employability. The use of English has also resulted in the deepening of the divide in social classes within Saudi Arabia. Those belonging to the class that is viewed as elite and sophisticated tend to use English more and they have been accused by non-English speakers for abandoning the Arabic language and leading to its diminished use, and with that the national identity of Arabic speaking Saudi Arabia. Indeed concern for poor spelling and us of Arabic has been shared by teachers in Arabia. By and large it may be concluded that those successful enough to master a measure of command of the English language exhibit pride in its use. 10. What is its status in a typology (in Haugen’s sense of this term)? Where does it stand and where is it going in relation to the other languages in the context on which you are focussing? (This sub-topic could form a logical conclusion to your report.) Simply put the study of typology deals with ways in which languages differ from each other. The extent to which English and the native languages spoken in Saudi Arabia differ both in speech and in the written form and it has impacted negatively on learning of English. The challenge is faced by both instructors and learners of English as a second language. In deed the practice of code switching as described by Redoune (2005) is typical among Saudi Arabian speakers of English. This is viewed as part of a phenomenon that indicates growth of the language. She contends as follows: “In many situations of languages in contact, constituents of one language can be found with the constituents of another language in a number of linguistic phenomena, namely lexical borrowing, transferring, interference, calquing, diffusion, reflexification, code switching and code mixing, etc. “(Ennamalai 1989). Reporting on a survey aimed at assessing prevalence of code switching among users of second languages such as English, Redoune (Ibid) singles out Code switching and code mixing as two linguistic phenomena that are most prevalent and common in interactions among bilingual speakers” It is arguable therefore that the use of English in Saudi Arabia has a relatively bright future and the continued trend among people to adopt English words will herald a universal us of English only witnesses in former British colonies. Conclusion In conclusion, although English is the second-most spoken language in Saudi Arabia, its increasing presence, it is feared, could damage or weaken the Arabic language with time. Arab News quoted an Arabic language teacher at a private Jeddah school, who said, “Ignoring Arabic will weaken it in the future. Students are already very weak when it comes to writing Arabic. I notice a lot of spelling mistakes at high school and university levels.” With more and more Saudis studying in America, speaking English is viewed as one of the things that will connect Saudi with not only America, but the rest of the world. The challenge with this issue as Saudi continues to modernize, as it is with many others, is how to preserve culture and identity while keeping pace with the continually globalizing world. In conclusion, the English Language has been greatly revolutionized in Saudi Arabia and is positively embraced by her Inhabitants. List of References Craddol D.,”the decline of the native speaker” in Enlish in a changing world Linguistic typology available at www.uio/stadier Haugen E. (1953), the Norwegian language in Americana study in bilingual behavior, Philadelphia University Gheanem, R. (2011) “English among the youth in Saudi Arabia” available at www.arabnews.com Jenkins, 1. (2000) 'Intelligibility in Interlanguage Talk' in The Phonology of English As an International Language: New Models, New Norms, New Goals, Oxford University Press, pp. 69-97. Mesthrie, et al 2000 'Language Choice and Code - Switching ‘In: Introducing sociolinguistics / Rajend Mesthrie ... [et al.]. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, c2000. Chapter 5, pp. 148-183 Milory L. and Mysken P. (1995) “One speaker two languages-cross disciplinary perspective on code switching, Cambridge university press Redoune R., (2005)”Linguistic constraints on code switching of bilingual Moroccan Arabic French speakers in Canada” Available at www.cascadilla.com Renad Ghanem (2011). English as a second language. Retrieved from http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article238989.ece . Read More