Lahja is the Arabic word for dialect. The National
Lahja is the Arabic word for dialect. The National
Lahja is the Arabic word for dialect. The National
Lahja is the Arabic word for dialect. The National

'Lahja': The Arabic word for dialect speaks of tradition and pride


Faisal Al Zaabi
  • English
  • Arabic

In April, the UAE set out plans to ensure only its citizens can speak in Emirati dialect and wear national dress when filming social media content. The decision was made to protect and preserve the country's identity.

Abdulla Al Hamed, chairman of the UAE National Media Office, posted on X: “The Emirati dialect is a rich vessel of vocabulary and meanings that store within its letters the memory of a nation.”

Our Arabic word of the week is lahja, which means dialect. The plural for the word is lahjat. In the Middle East, every country has its own lahja, with deeper differences found from one city to another.

A lahja is a vital part of an Arab person’s identity. It is how others can recognise where a person is from. Some parts of the Arab world use an old and distinct lahja. For example, Al Shehhi and Al Hebsi tribes speak in a unique lahja, one that other Arabic speakers might not immediately understand.

Even Arabic culture itself is inherited through different dialects. While most people can speak and understand a classical Arabic dialect, one that is used in official settings, different dialects that carry a people’s tradition and customs.

In the Gulf, each country’s lahja differs in tone, cadence and vocabulary. Countries that border each other may see a lot of crossovers but the distinction remains. The UAE’s lahja can be differentiated from emirate to emirate, but they all fall under the umbrella of the Emirati lahja.

A lahja is also generational. As children grow up, they would learn to speak their family’s lahja, but also adopt one that others in their age group would converse in. While a grandmother and a grandchild in the UAE could be speaking in an Emirati dialect, the circumstances of their surroundings and upbringing could make a difference in the way they speak.

While people across the Arab world take pride in their shared Arabic language, there is even deeper pride in the dialects that differentiate them. So much so, that there is a common phrase in Arabic that says: “to know a people is to speak in their dialect”.

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Gifts exchanged
  • King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
  • Queen Camilla -  Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
  • Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
  • Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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French business

France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.

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Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

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From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases

A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.

One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait,  Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.

In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.

The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.

And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.

 

Updated: May 16, 2025, 6:01 PM`