Language Policy and its Relation to Identity in the Arab World

Abstract

Arabic language is the cultural arsenal and the strong fence that protects and expresses Arab identity at the same time. This study sheds some light on the Arab language policy planning and its relation to the Arab identity. Using an analytical descriptive approach, the study aims at providing a clear picture of the status of Arab identity on the list of priorities of current language policies in the Arab World, which can be beneficial for scholars and decision makers. The study concluded with a number of findings, recommendations and suggestions. The most important of these is the existence of a serious contradiction between what exists and what should be on these policies. Moreover, there are a number of challenges that threaten identity from the inside. There is also a need to raise awareness of the importance of the Arabic language as a spoken identity, which warrants the effective involvement of language specialists in creating language policies, the establishment of Arabic as an identity formation and rooting language, the enactment of laws to protect the Arabic language, and the dedication to Arabize education. Finally, specialists and interested scholars should be involved in more comprehensive research and in-depth studies in this area, which can perhaps reduce the growing crack in the wall of the standard Arabic day after day.

Keywords: Language policy, Identity, Threats, Globalization, Language planning.