Language and Identity: Impact of Globalization on Arabic

The aim of this study is to describe the present status of Arabic and to emphasize its role in establishing and maintaining national identity. The study investigates the relationship between language and national identity in the Arabic-speaking world, particularly in Egypt. It also shows how globalization poses a serious threat to Arabic and national identity. The study is concerned with the problems which faces Arabic in the age of globalization such as hybridization, variation in terminology and the use of English instead of Arabic as a means of instruction. Moreover, it discusses language planning activities conducted to protect Arabic and national identity.
Keywords: Language attitude; Language maintenance; Identity; Arabic
This study deals with the relationship between language and national identity in the Arabic-speaking world, particularly in Egypt. It is essentially about national identity, its formation and maintenance. It also goes further to discuss the impact of globalization on Arabic and national identity. The present study deals mainly with modern standard Arabic, the language of writing and formal oral expression. The fact that Egypt is the biggest country in the Arabic-speaking world in the Middle East explains this restriction. The entire phenomenon of identity is conceived in the study as a linguistic one, i.e. national identity is mainly  linguistic identity. Therefore, addressing the issues of identity is one of the tasks of the linguist.