UAE: Meet former teacher who uses social media to keep Emirati dialect alive

A former Emirati teacher and passionate researcher has had a significant impact on the through social media.

Meet Lamia Rashid Al Shamsi, a 54-year-old mother and grandmother, from Sharjah. In 2014, she began documenting Emirati vocabulary through social media, and turned her long-standing passion to create an online platform where everyone can learn the Emirati dialect.

She previously for seven years before deciding to devote herself to raising her children. After her children grew up, she started a hobby that quickly gained attention from her family and friends.

"At first, it was a personal project to document the Emirati dialect, but I noticed how much interest it generated. My family and friends encouraged me to create a dedicated account," Al Shamsi told Khaleej Times.

Simple explanations

Initially, Al Shamsi began by posting simple explanations and images of local words but soon received numerous inquiries from followers on and use them in sentences.

This feedback led her to improve her approach, incorporating voice recordings and animated images in her videos to provide a more engaging and informative experience.

As her following grew, she built a remote team that assisted with gathering the necessary sounds and audio, while she personally worked on editing the videos, integrating the visuals and sounds.

Al Shamsi said: "It started as a hobby, but my primary motivation was to ensure my children spoke in our native language at home. I never allowed them to speak English with me at home – that was for school."

Her goal now is to reach more children and parents. The project, which initially focused on her family, soon found a wider audience. Al Shamsi noticed increased interest from across the Gulf and around the world, as followers sought to learn Emirati vocabulary and expressions.

"Many people have asked about Emirati words, and there is significant interest in learning the dialect. Some even inquire about courses," shared Al Shamsi.

Teaching younger audiences

Looking ahead, she plans to soon release a book that will include illustrated explanations of the Emirati dialect. "I hope to see this book adopted by schools to teach students about their cultural language," she says. Additionally, Al Shamsi has ambitions to produce a cartoon series to teach the Emirati dialect to younger audiences.

From her research, Al Shamsi noted that 80 per cent of Emirati words trace back to classical Arabic, emphasising the deep connection between the dialect and the broader Arabic language.

Al Shamsi has been featured on numerous media programmes and collaborated with TV channels to promote the importance of safeguarding the Emirati dialect. "Documenting the language alone is not enough; there must be an educational framework to teach the language and heritage to future generations," she asserted.

Though most of her followers are in their 30s and above, Al Shamsi is now expanding her presence on new social media channels to connect with younger generations. "I want to engage with the younger audience in a more interactive and accessible way," she underscored.

As the need to preserve local dialects and cultural heritage grows, Al Shamsi continues to lead the charge in safeguarding the Emirati dialect for generations to come, using the power of social media and technology to make this important work accessible to a global audience.