Intergenerational heritage language maintenance among the Hausa community in Saudi Arabia: comparing proficiency levels with subjective attitudes.
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| Title: | Intergenerational heritage language maintenance among the Hausa community in Saudi Arabia: comparing proficiency levels with subjective attitudes. |
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| Authors: | Alsahafi, Morad1 (AUTHOR) m.alsahafi@gmail.com |
| Source: | Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development. Jul2026, Vol. 47 Issue 5, p3154-3169. 16p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Language maintenance, *Attitudes toward language, *Bilingualism, *Language ability, Saudi Arabians, Ethnic groups, Intergenerational communication |
| Geographic Terms: | Saudi Arabia |
| Abstract: | This article reports on a study that investigated the sociolinguistic situation of the Hausa community in Saudi Arabia. It focuses on questions concerning Hausa Saudi adults' self-reported language proficiency levels in Hausa and Arabic and attitudes toward Hausa as a heritage language. A total of 179 participants from the second (G2) and third (G3) generations of Hausa descendants living in Saudi Arabia completed an online questionnaire. The findings reveal that both generational groups reported high proficiency levels in Arabic across all language skills. Conversely, their proficiency in Hausa was moderate in spoken skills but markedly low in literacy. G2 participants exhibited relatively higher proficiency levels and more positive attitudes toward Hausa compared to G3 participants. The study also identified a moderate to weak correlation between Hausa proficiency and language attitudes, highlighting positive associations with the language's perceived value and usefulness while noting negative associations stemming from its limited usage. Participants highlighted key themes about their heritage language: the lack of Hausa reproduction at home, the importance of maintaining it, and strategies for preservation. The implications for heritage language maintenance are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 195033744 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Intergenerational heritage language maintenance among the Hausa community in Saudi Arabia: comparing proficiency levels with subjective attitudes. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alsahafi%2C+Morad%22">Alsahafi, Morad</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> m.alsahafi@gmail.com</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Multilingual+%26+Multicultural+Development%22">Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 47 Issue 5, p3154-3169. 16p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+maintenance%22">Language maintenance</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitudes+toward+language%22">Attitudes toward language</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bilingualism%22">Bilingualism</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+ability%22">Language ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Saudi+Arabians%22">Saudi Arabians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnic+groups%22">Ethnic groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intergenerational+communication%22">Intergenerational communication</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Saudi+Arabia%22">Saudi Arabia</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This article reports on a study that investigated the sociolinguistic situation of the Hausa community in Saudi Arabia. It focuses on questions concerning Hausa Saudi adults' self-reported language proficiency levels in Hausa and Arabic and attitudes toward Hausa as a heritage language. A total of 179 participants from the second (G2) and third (G3) generations of Hausa descendants living in Saudi Arabia completed an online questionnaire. The findings reveal that both generational groups reported high proficiency levels in Arabic across all language skills. Conversely, their proficiency in Hausa was moderate in spoken skills but markedly low in literacy. G2 participants exhibited relatively higher proficiency levels and more positive attitudes toward Hausa compared to G3 participants. The study also identified a moderate to weak correlation between Hausa proficiency and language attitudes, highlighting positive associations with the language's perceived value and usefulness while noting negative associations stemming from its limited usage. Participants highlighted key themes about their heritage language: the lack of Hausa reproduction at home, the importance of maintaining it, and strategies for preservation. The implications for heritage language maintenance are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/01434632.2025.2504122 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 16 StartPage: 3154 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Language maintenance Type: general – SubjectFull: Attitudes toward language Type: general – SubjectFull: Bilingualism Type: general – SubjectFull: Language ability Type: general – SubjectFull: Saudi Arabians Type: general – SubjectFull: Ethnic groups Type: general – SubjectFull: Intergenerational communication Type: general – SubjectFull: Saudi Arabia Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Intergenerational heritage language maintenance among the Hausa community in Saudi Arabia: comparing proficiency levels with subjective attitudes. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Alsahafi, Morad IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Text: Jul2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 01434632 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 47 – Type: issue Value: 5 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development Type: main |
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