Arabic as a Heritage Language in the United States

This article presents an overview of the Arabic language in the United States. Drawing on archival research and statistical analysis, the article is divided into 4 major sections. The first discusses the history of immigration from the Arab world to the United States, as well as past efforts at Arabic language maintenance. The article continues with 2 sections that present a contemporary sketch of the Arab American community based on demographic analysis and of Arabic language practice and education in the United States, respectively. The article concludes with a discussion of the prospects for Arabic language maintenance and the sort of research that can aid in that project. This article is intended to provide a resource for educators, researchers, and others interested in maintaining Arabic as one piece of the rich linguistic heritage and contemporary life in the United States. If nothing else, this overview reveals the immense amount of research still needed to better understand the contemporary practice of Arabic in the United States.