An analysis of non-Arabic words used in two Kuwaiti daily newspapers reveals that (1) the newspapers often use loan words instead of their Arabic equivalents to emphasize that they are discussing something European; (2) the number and frequency of loan words relating to objects of daily use are much greater than those of abstract and technical terms; and (3) Italian and French words predominate among terms for articles of daily use, with English ranking third and German almost completely absent. The increasing use of foreign words appears to be deliberate, and it reflects specific cultural influences from those countries. Some Arabic words are conspicuously absent, such as those coined for political and economic concepts and words expressing emotions or states of mind. It is likely that this kind of extensive borrowing will continue in the complex sociolinguistic context of the diglossic Arabic-speaking world. (MSE)