Language Maintenance among the Indians of Yemen: A Sociolinguistic Study

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the factors that support the use of the Indian ethnic languages among the Indians of Yemen who live in the city of Aden. The theoretical framework of the current study was based on Fishman (1989) and Sridhar (1992). In order to achieve the objective of the study, the researchers posed three questions concerning the background of the Indians of Yemen, their proficiency in Arabic and the Indian Ethnic languages and the factors that have helped them maintain the Indian ethnic languages. A sample of 86 respondents was selected purposively. They responded to a three-section language questionnaire which was originally delivered to 100 participants. However, only 86 forms were filled out and returned. The language questionnaire was validated by a panel of experts in the fields of applied linguistics and sociolinguistics. Results revealed that attitudinal, linguistic, social and political factors have helped them to maintain the Indian ethnic languages. Results also indicated that while they are skilled in listening and speaking their ethnic languages, they are not competent in reading and writing. In contrast, they have good command in Arabic four skills, namely, listening, speaking, reading and writing..