Navigating Specificity and Countability: Insights Into L1 Arabic Speakers’ Use of L2 English Definite Articles
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1604.16Keywords:
Arabic, countability, definiteness, English articles, L2 acquisitionAbstract
Despite the frequency with which they are used in the English language, English articles pose challenges for second language (L2) acquirers due to the relational complexities between their semantic and syntactic elements. This study explored whether the interplay between semantic features, proficiency levels and countability played a role in understanding such challenges. After testing to determine their proficiency levels, data was collected from forty-five Saudi Arabic-speaking university-level students who were learning English, using a multiple-choice article task. This was designed to examine article use across singular, plural and mass nouns in specific and non-specific definite contexts. The participants were divided into three groups, depending on their proficiency level (beginner, elementary and lower-intermediate). It was found that there was an interaction between proficiency, countability and semantic features, in that: a) article use improved with proficiency; b) the beginners’ group frequently omitted articles, especially with singular nouns; c) the elementary and lower-intermediate groups struggled with mass and singular nouns; and d) all the groups wrongly based their use of articles in plural contexts on the specificity value.
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