Keywords
Hausa dialects
morphological adaptation
bilingualism
language contact
Northwestern Nigeria
Abstract
This study analyzes dialectal variance and morphological adaptation of Arabic loanwords among Hausa-Arabic bilinguals in Northwestern Nigeria, focusing on Kano, Sokoto and Zamfara dialects in a postcolonial multilingual environment. The study uses qualitative methods, including corpus analysis (45,000 words), semi-structured interviews with 20 bilinguals and fieldwork in such states, to investigate phonological and lexical differences, integration into Hausa grammar and sociolinguistic influences (religion, education, regional identity). Results demonstrate dialect-specific patterns: Arabic /q/ in qāḍī ‘judge’ becomes /k/ (alkali) in Kano (daily use), /ʔ/ (alʔali) in Sokoto (religious settings) and varied (including occasional /g/ algali) in Zamfara. Arabic nouns take Hausa gender and plurals (e.g., littafi → littafai). Bilinguals keep Arabic-like forms in formal situations but alter them colloquially, with frequent code-switching. The findings underscore multilingual agency and cultural hybridity, enhancing language contact theories by stressing regional postcolonial distinctions. Recommendations include dialect-inclusive courses and digital archives to preserve Hausa linguistic variety.
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