Kuwaiti Arabic is characterized by a wide range of consonants including pharyngeals, consonant clusters, a small vowel system (with a length distinction and diphthongs) and an alphabetic writing system (Arabic script). There are two main varieties/dialects, Modern Kuwaiti Arabic (MKA) and Bedouin Kuwaiti Arabic (BKA). Research on phonological acquisition of Kuwaiti Arabic has increased over the past decade, with studies of children with typical development, and speech sound disorders, including as a result of Down Syndrome. Ayyad and Bernhardt (2017, 2021) have designed recent assessment tools for Kuwaiti Arabic based on nonlinear phonology. Phonological intervention includes approaches found elsewhere such as minimal pair opposition therapy (Alsaad et al., 2019), and more recently, nonlinear approaches to goal-setting and treatment strategy development (Ayyad & Bernhardt, 2022).

Key words:
Kuwaiti Arabic, multilingual, communication, speech, language, children’s development, interdisciplinary, international communities, assessment, intervention

Book chapter:
Ayyad, H., AlQuattan, S., & Bernhardt, B.M. (2025). Arabic (Kuwaiti) speech development. In S. McLeod (Ed.). The Oxford handbook of speech development in languages of the world. Oxford University Press.

Language overview presentation:

• Ayyad, H., AlQuattan, S., & Bernhardt, B.M. (2024). Arabic (Kuwaiti): Multilingual children’s speech development. Charles Sturt University, Australia. https://www.csu.edu.au/research/multilingual-speech/languages
• Video: Arabic (Kuwaiti) [English version] – Children’s Speech Development
• PowerPoint: Arabic (Kuwaiti) [English version] – Children’s Speech Development (pdf)

This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 17: Partnerships to Achieve the Goals