Translanguaging and ‘Culigion’ features of Saudi English

Abstract

In Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern contexts, English has played an increasingly important role in such different areas as business, politics, popular culture, tourism, economics, education, and religion. Mahboob and Elyas (2014) argue that the social status of English is ideologically replete with economic, social, political, and religious overtones intertwined within the fabric of Saudi society. This has encouraged Mahboob and Elyas (2014) to propose an emerging Expanding Circle variety called ‘Saudi English’. The present study sheds some light on four main issues: (1) English post 9/11 in Saudi Arabia; (2) English in the light of Saudi Vision 2030; (3) the impact of religion, culture, and language on Saudi English; and (4) translanguaging features of Saudi English in contemporary Saudi Arabia. It also examines our findings against the Saudi English's literature in an effort to link this phenomenon of English as a lingua franca and find Englishes that are exclusively related to the Saudi context.