The Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies Center at Kuwait University organized a lecture titled “Secrets and Characteristics of the Kuwaiti Dialect” on Sunday, 15 February 2026, at Sabah Al-Salem University City. The lecture was delivered by researcher Khaled Abdulqader Abdulaziz Al-Rashaid, addressing the origins of the Kuwaiti dialect and its distinctive features in light of linguistic diversity, particularly phonetic variation.

The event was attended by the Acting Director of the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies Center, Prof. Yaqoub Yousif Al-Kandari; the Head of Future and Strategic Studies Department at the Center, Dr. Salem Al-Mutawa; and a number of academic staff members from various colleges.

The lecture was moderated by Dr. Salem Al-Mutawa, who emphasized that “language is the greater homeland, while dialect is the warm home,” noting that such lectures aim to document linguistic heritage and analyze its deeper structures. He highlighted that the resilience of popular vocabulary to this day stands as a stronghold against time and reflects the dialect’s ability to combine tenderness with strength.

For his part, researcher Khaled Abdulqader Abdulaziz Al-Rashaid stressed that documenting and studying dialects is a national necessity and an important step toward preserving heritage and inherited traditions. He explained that dialects represent spoken geographical boundaries through which regions can be identified, adding that languages and dialects continuously interact and intersect alongside human development and discovery, often borrowing from one another to fill linguistic gaps or to distinguish specific terms or concepts.

Al-Rashaid added that Kuwaiti dialects consist of at least five or six variations. He explained that the Kuwaiti dialect employs 30 phonetic letters, including the historically abandoned letter (Ḍhad), producing approximately 390 phonetic sounds. He also presented his book titled “Al-Badliya,” which explores the origins and secrets of the Kuwaiti dialect.

At the conclusion of the lecture, the floor was opened for discussion, where attendees posed various questions regarding the characteristics and nuances of the Kuwaiti dialect. The session witnessed notable engagement from participants in a rich academic atmosphere reflecting growing interest in studying and documenting local dialects.