Exploring Language Contact Phenomena: The Interplay of French and Arabic in Nigeria
Keywords:
Language Contact, French–Arabic Interaction, Multilingualism in Nigeria, Transnational Languages, Sociolinguistic EcologyAbstract
This study examines French–Arabic language contact in Nigeria, addressing a notable gap in scholarship where both languages have largely been studied in isolation despite their coexistence within shared sociolinguistic spaces. While Arabic has sustained a centuries-long presence through Islamic scholarship, Qur’anic education, and trans-Saharan intellectual traditions, French has gained strategic relevance due to Nigeria’s proximity to Francophone states and its participation in regional institutions such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). However, the nature of their interaction within Nigeria’s multilingual ecology remains undertheorised. Drawing on language contact theory, linguistic capital theory, and multilingual ecology perspectives, this study argues that their relationship is characterised not by structural convergence or competition but by functional complementarity across differentiated domains. Arabic operates primarily as a language of religious authority and intellectual heritage, while French functions as a medium of commerce, diplomacy, and regional mobility. The findings demonstrate that their coexistence produces layered linguistic repertoires shaped by identity negotiation, institutional structures, and geopolitical positioning. The paper contributes to broader debates on transnational language dynamics and linguistic stratification in West Africa.
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