Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre launches index to measure relationship strength with Arabic language within community

The index is based on a statistical model that measures the status of community engagement with the Arabic language based on individual, family, and institutional factors. It combines empirical data measuring individual use of Arabic language in reading, writing, speaking, and digital communication, as well as its use within the family environment, particularly with children. The index also assesses language activism and engagement within the community, in addition to institutional factors that the ALC supports through various projects and programmes that promote Arabic language, such as book publishing, developing creative content, nurturing of young talent, and organising book fairs, festivals, and literary awards, among other initiatives.

Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said, "This new index embodies the leadership's vision to build a cohesive and prosperous society, with a strong connection to the Arabic language that enhances cultural identity in the UAE and fosters national pride. Since its inception, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre has been dedicated to strengthening the community's ties with the Arabic language across creative, intellectual, and cultural fields, engaging all generations, including citizens, residents, native Arabic speakers, and non-speakers alike. The Centre's initiatives promote the values of cooperation, belonging, shared experiences, and the preservation of cultural heritage."

The index will be calculated for Abu Dhabi community, taking into account different demographic groups, towards values that denote the relationship strength with the language, ranging between full engagement to complete detachment from it, with the objective of informing decisions towards developing plans and coordinating initiatives to gradually enhance the community's connection with the Arabic language.

The launch of the new index coincides with ALC's announcement of the latest results of its Arabic Language Perception Index, which has been tracked since 2021 to assess public perceptions of Arabic in the fields of knowledge, culture, and creativity, among both Arabic and non-Arabic speakers in Abu Dhabi. The study findings are based on the results of the tracking survey conducted in Abu Dhabi with over 6,000 residents aged 15 and above.

The latest findings of the Perception Index revealed that Arabic ranked highest in terms of participants' perceptions of the Creativity Factor, which focuses on the aesthetic qualities and use of the language in creative content compared to English. Arabic also took the lead in the Cultural Factor, which describes the language connection to cultural heritage, while English ranked highest in the Knowledge Factor which is related to learning the language and the extent of its utilisation in research and science. "The results of the Arabic Language Perception Index, in comparison with English, indicate that speakers of each language believe in the predominance of their own language across all of the factors included in the index," bin Tamim noted. "However, the evolution of perceptions of their own language follows a different trajectory, which calls for an in-depth study that includes social sciences, humanities, and linguistics to understand how linguistic connections develop within a diverse and harmonious society."

"The findings of our index will contribute to the development of strategic initiatives which target different segments of the community to support the presence and widespread use of Arabic as a language of science, culture, and creativity," the ALC Chairman explained. "We aim to strengthen the production of Arabic content and all related digital technologies, while supporting scientific research to their development." (ANI/WAM)