Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume.7 Number. 4 December, 2016 Pp. 202 – 224
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol7no4.14
Acquisition of Modern Standard Arabic by Speakers of Different Arabic Colloquial Varieties: Resumption in Object Relative Clauses *1
Sami Alresaini
Department of English Language & Literature
College of Languages & Translation
Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Abstract:
It is often claimed that there are no native speakers of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) due to possible effect of late age of first exposure (AoE) and possible effect of the acquired colloquial variety ofArabic, which is considered as the first language (L1). This empirical study examined the impact of AoE and knowledge of the L1on the ultimate attainment of resumption in MSA object relative clauses. 147adolescent participants from Egypt, the Levant, and the gulf regions, were recruited to examine their underlying knowledge ofresumption in MSA through completing an Acceptability Judgment Task. Using ANOVAand planned comparisons, the differences in participants’ judgments to resumptionwere evaluated across 5 groups corresponding to different AoE and the colloquialvarieties they speak. The analysis of the data showed no significant effect of AoEnorof the L1, and post hoc tests showed no significant differences between the groups ofparticipants. These results were discussed in relation to theories on L1 influence and tothe critical period hypothesis.
Keywords: critical period hypothesis, first language influence, modern standard Arabic, resumption, second language acquisition
Cite as: Alresaini, S. (2016). Acquisition of Modern Standard Arabic by Speakers of Different Arabic Colloquial Varieties: Resumption in Object Relative Clauses *1 Arab World English Journal, 7(4)
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol7no4.14