The importance of regular visits to the home country in maintaining and transmitting the Arabic language to Arabic speakers in Toowoomba

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the significant impact of regular visits to the home country on the intergenerational maintenance and transmission of the Arabic language within the Arabic-speaking community in the regional Queensland city of Toowoomba, Australia. A qualitative approach was employed to explore the language maintenance phenomenon by engaging in the everyday life of Arabic speakers. Data was gathered through participant observations and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 adults who were selected using a mixed purposeful sampling strategy. The study's findings revealed that visiting the country of origin is seen to be the most effective factor for the maintenance of the Arabic language and culture among Arabic speakers. Parents are aware of the importance of taking their children to visit their home country to immerse them in the heritage culture and connect them with their relatives. The findings of this study are intended to expand knowledge and theories of language maintenance.
 Keywords: Arabic; Heritage Culture; Intergenerational; Language Maintenance; Toowoomba.