The Arabic spoken in Kuwait is a variety of Gulf Arabic, closely related to the dialects of Bahrain, Qatar, and the eastern Arabian Peninsula. Classical Arabic arrived in the region with the spread of Islam in the 7th century and remains the formal written language, religious language, and language of education throughout Kuwait. Kuwait's dialect has been shaped by its history as a major pearling and trading port, absorbing loanwords from Persian, Hindi, Urdu, and English. Following the discovery of oil in 1938 and the massive influx of expatriate workers, English became entrenched as the dominant language of business, commerce, and international communication. Today Kuwait has one of the highest English proficiency rates in the Arab world, particularly among educated urban Kuwaitis.
