Neither Arabic nor English: translanguaging as a frontline language practice in the Gulf-based MNC

While much has been written on lingua franca policy, less is known about how indigenous factors shape its practice. Through a 10-month ethnographic study of naturally occurring conversations in a Gulf-based MNC with an English lingua franca mandate, we develop a conceptual framework of Gulf-specific translanguaging practices identified among employees. We further conceptualize the strategic use of these translanguaging types in formal and informal contexts at the HQ and at the plant. Our findings challenge the reliance on a single standard language as lingua franca, and indicate the value of indigenous forms of translanguaging for enhancing communication and linguistic inclusion.