The L2 acquisition of English articles by L1 speakers of Saudi Arabic
The English article system has long been one of the difficult elements of the English language to learn and to teach. Previous studies on this topic by Huebner (1985), Parrish (1987), Master (1987), and Thomas (1989) among others, have investigated this topic in light of the Bickerton's feature distinction of [Â± Specific Referent; Â± Hearer Knowledge]. However, this feature distinction falls short of accounting for a number of finer semantic distinctions. In recent work by Ionin (2003a), Ionin et al. (2004), and Hawkins et al. (2006) among others, the feature distinction [Â±specific; Â±definite] was used. In the studies by Ionin it was proposed that speakers of an articleless LI learning an L2 that has a two articles system would fluctuate between the two values of an Article Choice Parameter (ACP). The first value having a definiteness setting, and the second value having a specificity setting. In their study they left open the question of how Ll speakers of a language with articles learning an L2 with articles would interact with the ACP. Hawkins et al. (2006) answered this question and found that their L2 subjects with articleless LIs fluctuated between the settings of the ACP similar to Ionin's subjects;
Almahboob, Ibrahim
The L2 acquisition of English articles by L1 speakers of Saudi Arabic. The English article system has long been one of the difficult elements of the English language to learn and to teach. Previous studies on this topic by Huebner (1985), Parrish (1987), Master (1987), and Thomas (1989) among others, have investigated this topic in light of the Bickerton's feature distinction of [Â± Specific Referent; Â± Hearer Knowledge]. However, this feature distinction falls short of accounting for a number of finer semantic distinctions. In recent work by Ionin (2003a), Ionin et al. (2004), and Hawkins et al. (2006) among others, the feature distinction [Â±specific; Â±definite] was used. In the studies by Ionin it was proposed that speakers of an articleless LI learning an L2 that has a two articles system would fluctuate between the two values of an Article Choice Parameter (ACP). The first value having a definiteness setting, and the second value having a specificity setting. In their study they left open the question of how Ll speakers of a language with articles learning an L2 with articles would interact with the ACP. Hawkins et al. (2006) answered this question and found that their L2 subjects with articleless LIs fluctuated between the settings of the ACP similar to Ionin's subjects;
acquisition_english article speaker saudi arabic english article system long one_difficult element english_language learn_teach previous_study topic master thomas among_others investigated topic light feature distinction specific referent hearer knowledge however feature distinction fall_short accounting number semantic distinction recent_work among_others feature distinction specific definite use study propose speaker learn article system would fluctuate value article choice parameter first value definiteness set second value specificity setting study leave_open question speaker language article learn article would interact answer_question find subject fluctuate setting similar subject