Text Development and Arabic-English Negative Interference

Bibliographic Data

ID22870916
AuthorsMohammed Akram A M Sa‘Adeddin (Kuwait University, corresponding author), M A A M SA'ADEDDIN
Year1989
Volume10
Issue1
Pages36-51
Publication date1989-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueApplied Linguistics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0142-6001 • E-ISSN: 1477-450X
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/applin/10.1.36
OpenAlexW2112817148
LanguageEN
Citations received10

This article focuses on the distinction between aural and visual modes of text development in Arabic and English, and on the functions of these modes in their social contexts. Three Arabic texts are presented in translation. The first is in two versions, a ‘semantic’ one, and a native English one conforming to the visual mode, which is dominant in English academic writing. This provides a clear illustration of the differences in text development and helps to explain the problems of the negative transfer of habits from one language to the other, particularly into English, where the aural mode is normally not acceptable for written prose. The latter two texts illustrate the presence of the visual mode in Arabic, which is merely one of the options. Finally, an analysis of the major distinctions between aurally and visually developed texts is presented. The proposals put forward in this paper have major implications for the teaching of English writing to native Arabic students.

Arabic · First language · Linguistics · Mode (computer interface) · Computer Science · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Philosophy · Psychology

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