Arabic, Gulf Spoken

A language of Kuwait

خليجي‎ (Khaliji)

User Population

2,300,000 in Kuwait (2017). Total users in all countries: 10,656,700.

Location

Widepread, except scattered in Al Jahra’ governorate.

Language Maps

Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates

Iraq

Oman

Language Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language, widely used in public administration.

Classification

Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic

Dialects

Kuwaiti Hadari Arabic, Kuwaiti Bedouin Arabic. A member of macrolanguage Arabic [ara].

Language Development

Dictionary. Grammar. Texts.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Arabic, Gulf Spoken

Writing

Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab].

Other Comments

Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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Bahrain

Language NameArabic, Gulf Spoken

User Population

72,500 in Bahrain (2019).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Gulf Arabic

Dialects

Bahraini Gulf Arabic.

Language Status

6a* (Vigorous).

Language Use

Used as L2 by Baharna Spoken Arabic [abv].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Used primarily by the Sunni population, which is largely of Bedouin descent (Bassiouney 2009). Muslim, Christian.

View other languages of Bahrain

Canada

Language NameArabic, Gulf Spoken

User Population

46,100 in Canada (2016). Total Arabic speakers in Canada: 420,000 (2016 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Canada

Egypt

Language NameArabic, Gulf Spoken

User Population

1,610,000 in Egypt (2019).

Location

Scattered.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Egypt

Iran

Language NameArabic, Gulf Spoken

User Population

275,000 in Iran (2019).

Location

Hormozgan province and nearby Persian gulf islands; also Bushehr, Fars, Kerman, and Yazd provinces.

Alternate Names

Gulf Arabic

Dialects

Al-Hasâ, Khamseh.

Language Status

6a* (Vigorous).

Language Use

The largest of 5 Khamseh clans uses Iranian Persian [pes] as L1. Also use Iranian Persian [pes]. Used as L2 by Lari [lrl].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: High in Persian [pes].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Iran

Iraq

Language NameArabic, Gulf Spoken

User Population

79,000 in Iraq (2020).

Location

Al Basrah governorate: south of Basrah city, near Persian Gulf.

Alternate Names

Gulf Arabic

Dialects

Zubair-Faau Arabic.

Language Status

6a* (Vigorous).

View other languages of Iraq

Oman

Language NameArabic, Gulf Spoken

User Population

788,000 in Oman (2020).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Bedawi, Gulf Arabic, Omani Bedawi Arabic

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Language Use

Used as L2 by Kumzari [zum].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

View other languages of Oman

Qatar

Language NameArabic, Gulf Spoken

User Population

788,000 in Qatar (2019).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Gulf Arabic, Qatari

Dialects

North Qatari Arabic, South Qatari Arabic.

Language Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language, absent from formal education.

Other Comments

Muslim.

View other languages of Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Language NameArabic, Gulf Spoken

User Population

962,000 in Saudi Arabia (2018), based on ethnicity.

Location

Eastern Province and Najran region: southeast Kuwait border inland, east to Persian Gulf north of Al Damman; south, Yeman and Oman borders.

Alternate Names

Gulf Spoken

Dialects

Al-Hasaa.

Language Status

6a* (Vigorous).

View other languages of Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

Language NameArabic, Gulf Spoken

User Population

3,710,000 in United Arab Emirates (2020).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Emirati Arabic, Gulf Arabic

Language Status

3 (Wider communication).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

View other languages of United Arab Emirates

United States

Language NameArabic, Gulf Spoken

User Population

10,200 in United States (2015). Total Arabic speakers in the United States: 924,000 (2015 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of United States

Yemen

Language NameArabic, Gulf Spoken

User Population

15,900 in Yemen (2020).

Location

Widespread.

Language Status

6a* (Vigorous).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Yemen

Arabic, Gulf Spoken

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A language of Kuwait

Also spoken in:

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