Discourse Markers in the Academic Writing of Arab Students of English: A Corpus-based Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 569
Author(s):  
Abeer Q. Taweel
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Corpus Linguistics ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Discourse Markers ◽  
Detailed Account ◽  
General Tendency ◽  
L1 Influence ◽  
Arab Students ◽  
Shed Light

This study aims to shed light on the discourse markers used in the academic writing of Arab students of English as a second language within the framework of corpus linguistics. By so doing, an attempt will be made to examine the use of the discourse marker expressing attitude, sequence, cause and result, addition, and comparing and contrasting. For comparison purposes, similar-sized authentic corpus will be used to examine the learners’ use, overuse, and underuse of the target markers. Moreover, the study will provide a detailed account of the possible reasons contributing to the disparity between the two corpora in terms of the use of the target markers. Results show that learners use more discourse markers than native speakers. While this is a general tendency, it still remains feasible to attribute the disparity between the two corpora to learners L1 influence where some of the overused markers spring out naturally and smoothly as they have rhetorical functions in learners’ native tongue.

scholarly journals An incremental model of second language speech production mechanisms: Developmental evidence from object ellipsis in second language Chinese speech production

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 783-810
Author(s):  
Boping Yuan ◽  
Lulu Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Speech Production ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Recall Task ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
L2 Chinese ◽  
L1 Influence ◽  
Korean Speakers ◽  
Production Mechanisms ◽  
L2 Speech Production

Aims: This study investigates object ellipsis in English and Korean speakers’ second language (L2) Chinese speech production and the effects of first language (L1) influence in L2 Chinese speech production. Design: 59 English speakers and 64 Korean speakers at various Chinese proficiency levels, as well as 16 native speakers of Chinese, participated in the study. In addition to an acceptability judgement test, an utterance-recall task was employed in the study to prime participants for relevant structures. Findings: There are early stages where derivations, such as move, deletion, etc., are not implemented in L2 speech production, although at later stages L2 speech production mechanisms can converge with that of native speakers. No evidence of L1 influence is found, and L2 learners are found to behave differently in the utterance-recall task and the sentence acceptability judgement task. Originality: The study includes data from L2 Chinese learners from beginner to advanced levels and provides a comprehensive picture of structural priming effects on the development of L2 speech production. Implications: There is a discontinuity in the development of L2 speech production mechanisms, and the development of the mechanisms is incremental in nature. Mechanisms for L2 language comprehension are different from those for L2 speech production, at least as far as L2 at the early stages is concerned.

scholarly journals The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

2014 ◽  
Vol 165 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan H. Hulstijn
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Corpus Linguistics ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
The Common

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR, Council of Europe, 2001) currently functions as an instrument for educational policy and practice. The view of language proficiency on which it is based and the six proficiency levels it defines lack empirical support from language-use data. Several issues need to be investigated collaboratively by researchers working in the fields of first and second language acquisition, corpus linguistics and language assessment. These issues are concerned with (i) the CEFR’s failure to consistently distinguish between levels of language proficiency (static aspect) and language development (dynamic aspect), (ii) with the CEFR’s confounding of levels of language proficiency and intellectual abilities, and (iii) the potential problem of mismatches between second-language learners’ communicative and linguistic competences. Furthermore, from a more theoretical perspective, this paper proposes (iv) to investigate which CEFR proficiency levels are attainable by native speakers and (v) to empirically delineate the lexical, morpho-syntactic and pragmatic knowledge shared by all native speakers (called Basic Language Cognition).

Non-Foreign-Accented Speech in Adult Second Language Learners

2001 ◽  
Vol 133-134 ◽  
pp. 185-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald G. Neufeld
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Tape Recorder ◽  
Detailed Account ◽  
Accented Speech ◽  
Test Conditions ◽  
French Speaking ◽  
Rigorous Test

Abstract The findings of this study add to the growing number of reports in which investigators claim to have located adult second language learners who, under rigorous test conditions, manage to pass as native speakers in L2. The aims of this paper were two, first, to provide a detailed account of how we tested and qualified our Anglophones as native-like speakers of French and, second, to suggest that, interesting as our data were, more questions emerge than do answers. Seven of 18 English/French bilinguals, having acquired L2 after the age of 16, were selected by means of a pre-test interview with three Francophones as “potentially of French-speaking background.” These seven, along with three Francophone controls, recited an 81-word passage in French onto a tape-recorder. Sixty-eight native-speaking French raters, of similar dialectal background and weak in English, each heard one of four tapes with differing random roders of the 10 passages, their task being to designate each voice as “Franco-phone” or “non-Francophone.” Four of our seven English-Franch bilinguals obtained ratings statistically comparable to those of our three Francophone controls.

The acquisition of complex sentences: a cross-linguistic study

1982 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Myhill
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Detailed Account ◽  
Language Transfer ◽  
Linguistic Study ◽  
Complex Sentences ◽  
Grammaticality Judgments

The paper reports the results of a test involving grammaticality judgments of English sentences given to native speakers of Spanish and Mandarin Chinese studying English as a second language. A detailed account is presented of aspects of Spanish and Chinese syntax that might explain the performance of the subjects, and an appeal is made for a more thorough search for and description of the areas of syntax in which language transfer is most likely to take place, based upon the study of acquisition data involving many different L1s and L2s. The results suggest that interference can come from sources not specified in traditional contrastive analyses and that researchers therefore must not restrict themselves to testing these analyses.

scholarly journals An Analysis of Use of conditional Sentences by Arab Students of English

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Sadam Haza' Al Rdaat ◽  
Sheena Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Main Clause ◽  
Main Difficulty ◽  
Sufficient Knowledge ◽  
Arab Students ◽  
Difficult Area

Conditional sentences are made of two clauses namely “if-clause” and “main clause”. Conditionals have been noted by scholars and grammarians as a difficult area of English for both teachers and learners. The two clauses of conditional sentences and their form, tense and meaning could be considered the main difficulty of conditional sentences. In addition, some of non-native speakers do not have sufficient knowledge of the differences between conditional sentences in the two languages and they tried to solve their problems in their second language by using their native language. The aim of this study was to analyse the use of conditional sentences by Arab students of English in semantic and syntactic situations. For the purpose of this study, 20 Arab students took part in the questionnaire, they were all studying different subjects and degrees (bachelor, master and PhD) at Coventry University. The results showed that the use of type three conditionals and modality can be classified as the most difficult issues that students struggle to understand and use.  

scholarly journals How Chinese learners of L2 European Portuguese interpret null and overt pronouns in forward and backward anaphora

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 291-321
Author(s):  
Yi Zheng ◽  
Paula Luegi ◽  
Ana Madeira ◽  
Gabriela Matos
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Questionnaire Study ◽  
Developmental Effect ◽  
Overt Pronouns ◽  
European Portuguese ◽  
Chinese Learners ◽  
Overt Pronoun ◽  
L1 Influence ◽  
The Subject

In a questionnaire study we investigate how native speakers of European Portuguese (EP) and Chinese, as well as Chinese learners of EP as second language (L2), interpret null and overt pronouns in forward and backward anaphora. Results show that EP native speakers exhibit different interpretative biases for null and overt pronominal subjects in both forward and backward anaphora. Chinese native speakers show similar interpretation in backward anaphora in their L1 but a subject preference with both null and overt pronouns in forward anaphora conditions. Chinese learners of L2 EP present an overall preference to interpret both pronouns as referring to the subject referent, although there is a developmental effect towards the target interpretation in overt pronoun backward anaphora conditions. Results confirm previous studies in L2 EP (Madeira et al., 2012; Lobo et al., 2017), but add the possibility that this pattern may be explained by L1 influence.------------------------------------------------------------------------------COMO OS APRENDIZES CHINESES DO PORTUGUÊS EUROPEU L2 INTERPRETAM OS PRONOMES NULOS E CLAROS NA ANÁFORA PARA FRENTE E PARA TRÁSNum estudo de questionário investigamos como os falantes nativos do Português Europeu (PE) e do chinês, bem como os aprendentes chineses que adquirem PE como língua segunda (L2), interpretam pronomes nulos e plenos em condições de anáfora e de catáfora. Os resultados mostram que os falantes nativos de PE exibem diferentes interpretações para sujeitos pronominais nulos e plenos tanto em anáfora como em catáfora. Os falantes nativos de Chinês mostram uma interpretação semelhante em catáfora na sua L1, mas preferem como antecedente o sujeito para pronome nulo e pleno nas condições de anáfora. Os aprendentes chineses de PE L2 preferem interpretar ambos os pronomes como referindo-se a um antecedente sujeito. No entanto, na condição de catáfora com pronome pleno, existe um efeito de desenvolvimento para a interpretação-alvo. Os resultados confirmam os estudos anteriores em PE L2 (Madeira et al. 2012; Lobo et al. 2017) e adicionam a possibilidade de explicar a interpretação na L2 por influência da L1.---Original em inglês.

Learners and reformulative discourse markers

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-66
Author(s):  
Elisa Corino
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Discourse Markers ◽  
Semantic Features ◽  
Discourse Marker ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Learner Corpora ◽  
Research Questions

Building on the results of a previous study on reformulative discourse markers (Corino 2012), this paper examines the different functions and semantic features of the Italian discourse marker cioè in the hope of elaborating a clear framework for its many functions and uses. The outcomes will enable us to answer three main research questions: 1) Is there a relevant relationship between the learner’s mother tongue and the use of cioè? 2) What points in Italian as a second language (ISL) need to be taught to learners in order to improve the use of DMs? 3) What functions of cioè are used more or less by learners of ISL with respect to native speakers? To this end, the distribution of this DM will be analyzed in texts written by ISL learners, collected in the learner corpora VALICO and ADIL2, in search of regularities in acquisition vs. evidence of influence of the learners’ mother tongues.

scholarly journals The Frequently Used Discourse Markers by Saudi EFL Learners

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Maryam Alsharif
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Discourse Markers ◽  
Frequency Count ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Concordance Program ◽  
Shed Light

The paper examines the use of discourse markers by Saudi English learners who struggle to master them when they write English essays. The hypothesis is, and based on previous studies of discourse markers by English learners, Saudi English learners overuse them. English essays are collected as a corpus for analysis and a concordance program is used to shed light on how frequently key words in contexts are used by learners. The study compares between Saudi learners and native speakers in their use of discourse markers and to investigate similarities and differences between the two groups. The results support previous studies as the analysis proves that Saudi learners overuse discourse markers. They have been used unnecessarily and redundantly. The preference of types of discourse markers has been investigated to show that learners use listing and resultive discourse markers mainly. The frequency count of the discourse markers in the collected corpus indicates their preference to vary specific types to avoid repetition and not to vary the semantic functions of discourse markers..

scholarly journals The Conceptualisation of Argument in Writing for Academic Purposes

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 9-20
Author(s):  
Svetoslava Antonova-Baumann
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Second Language Teaching ◽  
Conceptual Metaphors ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Academic Texts

Despite the long-standing tradition in research on conceptual metaphor, little attention has been paid to the use of conceptual metaphor in academic writing. The present study aims to investigate how the concept of ARGUMENT is realized in two academic contexts: i L2 speakers writing in English, and ii L1 speakers writing in Swedish. Following Lakoff and Johnson 1980/2003, four related conceptual metaphors AN ARGUMENT IS A JOURNEY; AN ARGUMENT IS A BATTLE; AN ARGUMENT IS A BUILDING; AN ARGUMENT IS A CONTAINER were identified and examined in a sample of Bachelor and Master theses written in English or Swedish by native speakers of Swedish. The main questions here are i to what extent the students employed these metaphors in their conceptualization of an argument and ii whether there are any differences in the patterns of conceptual metaphor depending on the language in which the texts were produced. The results suggest that while for the most part, academic texts written in English and Swedish both employed metaphorical conceptualizations of ARGUMENT as a JOURNEY and as a BUILDING, precisely which linguistic expressions predominated differed between the two languages. The findings have implications for second-language teaching, such as the development of academic writing courses, in particular in the context of English for non-native writers and for the training of instructors for such courses.

Stance-taking: reporting verbs in citations in EFL undergraduate theses

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Olmos-Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Corpus Linguistics ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Mexican Students ◽  
Authorial Identity ◽  
Educational Implications ◽  
Native Speakers Of English

ABSTRACT L2 writers tend to have difficulties in using reporting verbs (Bloch, 2010) because the choosing of reporting verb needs some considerations: the stance of the author whose claims are being reported, the stance of the writer, and the interpretation of the writer (Thompson and Ye, 1991). This article explores stance-taking in reporting verbs in the context of citations in undergraduate theses written by Mexican students in English as a Foreign Language. The corpus consists of thirty undergraduate theses written by non-native speakers of English in the field of English Language Teaching. I use corpus linguistics tools, i.e., concordances for the analysis of stance-taking which makes the expressions observable in their context. The findings show that undergraduates use reporting verbs to express their stance in their theses and that this varies depending on the chapter. This paper suggests a category of reporting verbs that is commonly used in EFL academic writing within the ELT discipline. I propose some educational implications, stressing the need to make students and their instructors aware that the choice of reporting verbs is not just a matter of stylistic choice, but it can be an expression of authorial identity.

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