A Survey of Hausa Loan Words from Arabic and Their Integration into Everyday Speech in Zaria

Historical contact between Hausa-speaking communities and the Arabic language through Islamic scholarship, trade, and religious practice has resulted in a substantial body of Arabic loan words that have been fully or partially integrated into contemporary Hausa usage. This study surveys the presence and integration of Arabic loan words in the everyday speech of residents of Zaria, Kaduna State, a city with a long history of Islamic learning. A descriptive linguistic survey was conducted among 160 respondents selected through stratified random sampling to represent different age groups, educational backgrounds, and occupations. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, oral interviews, and analysis of naturally occurring speech recordings gathered during informal community interactions. Arabic-origin words were identified and classified according to their semantic domain, degree of phonological adaptation, and frequency of use. Findings indicate that Arabic loan words are most densely concentrated in domains of religion, education, governance, and medicine, with many showing significant phonological adaptation to Hausa sound patterns. Younger respondents demonstrate lower awareness of the Arabic origin of many commonly used words, suggesting deep integration. The study also documents cases of semantic shift where Arabic terms have acquired extended or modified meanings in Hausa usage. The research recommends that etymological dimensions of loan word integration be included in Hausa linguistics courses at universities in Kaduna State and that a comprehensive Hausa-Arabic etymology dictionary be developed. Keywords: Hausa, Arabic loan words, Language contact, Zaria, Lexical integration.