DOMESTICATION OF ARABIC LOANWORDS IN HAUSA FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Hausa is one of the three indigenous major languages spoken in Nigeria. By virtue of its widespread use across Africa, it is ranked second to Swahili by the Summer Institute of Languages (SIL, 2008). This study examines word borrowing, a morphological process in Hausa language, as a means of national development. In doing this, It discusses the functional relationship between borrowing and vowel insertion, a phonological process in the language. It aims at to showing that there is a functional relationship between the processes. This reveals that the relationship has contributed immensely to the integration of Arabic loanwords in Hausa and consequently language development, which is one of the indices of national development. This study therefore, showcases the unique features of Arabic loanwords integration in Hausa language which distinguish the language from many other Nigerian languages. This paper suggests the study of similar productive processes in other languages in contact for the purpose of language development and language use for national development.