Abstract:
Locating the specific origin of the Yoruba people has remained a contentious issue, which continually engages the attention of historians. Acute dearth of early written records about the origin of this race paved the way for controversial narratives. Sequel to this, discussion about the origin of the Yoruba remains outside the scope of this study. The study examines the reality of contacts between Arabic and Yoruba languages. It establishes the fact that Yoruba is one of the indigenous African languages that have been enriched by a good number of Arabic loanwords. These words were discovered through sampling and critical review of the usage of the two languages involved by these researchers, who are Yoruba-speaking specialists in Arabic studies. The study discovers that, apart from English and Hausa languages, Yoruba has been highly enriched by Arabic. Specific factors that could account for the penetration of these items into the Yoruba language were considered. Processes of domestication and instances of usage of the words in Yoruba are substantially discussed.