From Competition to Complementarity: A Case Study of Arabic-English Language Ideologies at University of Bisha

Abstract

This study investigates the coexistence of, and tension between, Arabic and English language ideologies in Saudi higher education, focusing on University of Bisha as a case study. Drawing on quantitative data from online questionnaires (N = 138), this study examines how Arabic and English are ideologically valued, legitimised, and contested across three dimensions, namely identity, academic learning, and status. Using robust statistical analyses, including correlation and repeated-measures testing, the analysis tests whether these ideologies function primarily as competing forces, privileging one language at the expense of the other, or as complementary resources that support students’ academic experience and professional ambition. Findings reveal complex ideological orientations indicating that Arabic is ideologically dominant in the academic learning dimension, whereas English is more ideologically embedded in the status and mobility dimension, alongside near-orthogonal identity ideological orientations. Specifically, Arabic is seen as a symbolic marker of identity and English as a key instrument for globalised knowledge advancement and mobility. The study highlights the implications of these dynamics in terms of language policy, pedagogical practices, and students’ academic needs in Saudi higher education.