Grammatical Transfer in Arabic-Speaking Learners of Hebrew

Location

SU-214

Department

Other

Abstract

Cross-linguistic influence (CLI) is defined as the influence of one language on an individual’s learning or use of another language. This influence can involve various aspects of language and language learning, particularly the phenomena of language-related knowledge being applied while using another language. This study adds to the discussion on understanding how the similarities and differences between Arabic and Hebrew influence language learning. This analysis is done through a compiled corpus of thirteen written reflection essays (7,479 words) produced after the pedagogical training program ended at the Beit Berl College’s Arab Teacher Training Institute for Education in Israel. Additionally, the thirteen reflection essays were from thirteen Arabic-speaking learners with various levels of language experience in the L2 (Hebrew). For example, in Arabic, adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in gender and number, except for plural irrational (nonhuman) nouns, which always take feminine singular adjectives. However, gender and number agreement is strict in Modern Hebrew. Hebrew requires the gender and number to agree regardless of whether the noun is human or nonhuman. Below, the preposition ‘otah is feminine and singular, but the head noun in the construct state, χomrej, which the preposition should match, is in the masculine plural form. The correct preposition should be ‘otam, which is masculine and plural, but because the head noun is plural irrational (i.e., nonhuman), the learner used the feminine singular form of the preposition Arabic requires. Thus, the students are applying or transferring their grammatical knowledge of their L1 (Arabic) to their L2 (Hebrew). Similar studies have found that native speakers of Arabic (L1) reveal cross-linguistic influences when writing in Hebrew (L2), which includes language transfer from L1. The findings of this study are significant because they also demonstrate the strong influence of L1 Arabic on Hebrew, which can help instructors focus on cross-linguistic influences and non-target-like forms when teaching Hebrew as a second language.

Faculty Sponsor

Tami Yair, Beit Berl College

Faculty Sponsor

Richard Hallett, Northeastern Illinois University

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Apr 28th, 12:00 PM

Grammatical Transfer in Arabic-Speaking Learners of Hebrew

SU-214

Cross-linguistic influence (CLI) is defined as the influence of one language on an individual’s learning or use of another language. This influence can involve various aspects of language and language learning, particularly the phenomena of language-related knowledge being applied while using another language. This study adds to the discussion on understanding how the similarities and differences between Arabic and Hebrew influence language learning. This analysis is done through a compiled corpus of thirteen written reflection essays (7,479 words) produced after the pedagogical training program ended at the Beit Berl College’s Arab Teacher Training Institute for Education in Israel. Additionally, the thirteen reflection essays were from thirteen Arabic-speaking learners with various levels of language experience in the L2 (Hebrew). For example, in Arabic, adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in gender and number, except for plural irrational (nonhuman) nouns, which always take feminine singular adjectives. However, gender and number agreement is strict in Modern Hebrew. Hebrew requires the gender and number to agree regardless of whether the noun is human or nonhuman. Below, the preposition ‘otah is feminine and singular, but the head noun in the construct state, χomrej, which the preposition should match, is in the masculine plural form. The correct preposition should be ‘otam, which is masculine and plural, but because the head noun is plural irrational (i.e., nonhuman), the learner used the feminine singular form of the preposition Arabic requires. Thus, the students are applying or transferring their grammatical knowledge of their L1 (Arabic) to their L2 (Hebrew). Similar studies have found that native speakers of Arabic (L1) reveal cross-linguistic influences when writing in Hebrew (L2), which includes language transfer from L1. The findings of this study are significant because they also demonstrate the strong influence of L1 Arabic on Hebrew, which can help instructors focus on cross-linguistic influences and non-target-like forms when teaching Hebrew as a second language.