Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Skip to main content
Abdulwahid Q . Al Zumor
  • Dhofar University, Salalah, Oman
  • Abdulwahid Qasem Ghaleb Al Zumor, an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics - PhD in Linguistics, Aligarh M... moreedit
  • Prof. A.R.Fatihiedit
This study seeks to investigate the existence of androcentrism in school textbooks used in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. It attempts to unveil potential implicit biases ingrained in the... more
This  study  seeks  to  investigate  the  existence  of  androcentrism  in  school  textbooks  used  in  the  six Gulf  Cooperation  Council  (GCC)  countries.  It  attempts  to  unveil  potential  implicit  biases  ingrained  in  the language  of  these  textbooks.  The  data  for  this  study  is  derived  from  a  corpus  comprising  six  textbooks, encompassing  a  variety  of  courses  representing  the  GCC  secondary  level  education  systems.  The  employed methodological  approach  entailed  content  analysis,  wherein  categories  were  discerned  directly  from  the textual data during a comprehensive examination of the textbooks. The established framework facilitated the classification of gendered linguistic references into three distinct categories: nouns, verbs, and pronouns. The principal    findings    highlight    preferential    representation    of    male    students    and,    consequently, underrepresentation  of  female  students,  permeating  almost  the  entire  research  corpus.  Contrary  to assumptions suggesting an intrinsic gender bias within the Arabic language, this investigation argues that the locus  of  androcentrism  seems  to  be  rooted  in  the  authors  of  the  scrutinized  textbooks.  This  discernment contributes  valuable  insights  challenging  prevailing  notions  and  accentuates  the  role  of  textbook  authors  in shaping linguistic biases.
Whether the postgraduate students in the EFL context are adequately trained to express their authorial voice in academic writing in an appropriate tone has not been clarified enough in the literature. The aim of this study is to explore... more
Whether the postgraduate students in the EFL context are adequately trained to express their authorial voice in academic writing in an appropriate tone has not been clarified enough in the literature. The aim of this study is to explore the linguistic resources used by Saudi postgraduate students of Applied Linguistics to construct stance when they write critique essays. To achieve this goal, a corpus of 78000 words was built from 73 critique essays collected in five years. To analyze this corpus, LancsBox corpus analysis software was used to generate the concordances with frequencies of key words in context. The model of corpus analysis used was Hyland’s (2005) which views stance as a construct within a model of interaction in academic discourse that comprises boosters, hedges, attitude markers, and self-mentions. The major findings of the study showed that the most frequently used stance markers were hedges, followed by attitude markers, then boosters, and finally self-mentions. I...
Self-translation of academic texts has received little attention thus far in literature, particularly in terms of how cross-linguistic features are rendered into target language. This study undertakes to examine the various linguistic... more
Self-translation of academic texts has received little attention thus far in literature, particularly in terms of how cross-linguistic features are rendered into target language. This study undertakes to examine the various linguistic strategies of rendering English passive structures by Arab academics when they translate their research articles’ abstracts (RAAs) into Arabic. Fifty-one English abstracts with their Arabic translations were collected from Languages, Humanities and Social Sciences journals published in different Arab universities. To analyze the collected data, #LancsBox 4.5 Lancaster University corpus tool was used to identify the English passive structures (208 instances) and to analyze some of their Arabic translations. The most interesting finding is that the Arabic linguistic alternatives diverge from the English passive structures and they include the use of Arabic active verbs, Arabic periphrastic constructions, Arabic passive verbs, and Arabic verbal nouns. The...
A Pragmatic Analysis of Speech Acts as Produced by Native Speakers of Arabic in English is a study that aims at exploring one important aspect of the communicative competence of the second language learners. This aspect is “the pragmatic... more
A Pragmatic Analysis of Speech Acts as Produced by Native Speakers of Arabic in English is a study that aims at exploring one important aspect of the communicative competence of the second language learners. This aspect is “the pragmatic ability to perform speech acts” and the subjects under investigation are the Arab users of English as a second language in the Indian context. The particular speech acts investigated are: requests, invitations, apologies and correction of a factual error. Three major features of the pragmatic competence of the second language learners of English are highlighted in each chapter: a) Speech act realization patterns including the different types of modifications that play a role in deciding the illocutionary force of a speech act. b) The ability to perform politeness functions and the cross-cultural variations implied. c) Pragmatic transfer and the influence of cultural and linguistic background on the production of pragmatic performance in L2.
Research Interests:
Abstract This review study is intended to examine the Applied Linguistics research output of the faculty members at King Khalid University during the last four years (2011 through 2014). Thirty studies were reviewed and found to fall into... more
Abstract This review study is intended to examine the Applied Linguistics research output of the faculty members at King Khalid University during the last four years (2011 through 2014). Thirty studies were reviewed and found to fall into seven research areas, namely Technology and language learning, Non-linguistic factors influencing EFL learning, ELT methodology, Vocabulary acquisition, Language learning strategies, Language and culture, and Error analysis. The findings revealed more focus of researchers on technology and language learning issues and comparatively little focus on other important aspects of EFL teaching and learning such as testing, learners’ difficulties in speaking, listening, reading and writing, material selection and suitability, translation difficulties, etc. The study has also suggested a model for the utilization of research findings in informing professional practice of EFL teaching. Research gap that requires more attention has also been identified with a view to setting a research agenda that is likely to assist KKU to assume a research producer position rather than a mere research consumer in the field of foreign language pedagogy and instruction. Key Words: Review Articles, Technology and Language Learning, Non-linguistic Factors, Implementation Model, Research Gap
Research Interests:
The aim of this study is to survey and explore the history and development of language policy and planning (LPP) in Saudi Arabia. It did not only probe into Arabic, which is the national language but also attempted to discover the... more
The aim of this study is to survey and explore the history and development of language policy and planning (LPP) in Saudi Arabia. It did not only probe into Arabic, which is the national language but also attempted to discover the relationship between Arabic and foreign languages functioning in the country, including English as manifested in policy documents. The method of data analysis was qualitative. It followed the historical-structural and the discourse-analytical approaches to language policy and planning research. The source of the data used in the analysis was a monograph of the collection of language policy and planning statements compiled by King Abdullah International Centre for Arabic Language (KAICAL). The major findings of the analysis of the texts in this document showed that the modern Saudi State has paid careful attention to language planning issues since its inception. Across the history of the Kingdom until today, language issues have been of central concern and various policy statements have attempted to cover status, corpus, acquisition, and prestige planning. The rationale has always been coping with economic, social, political, and educational changes. Cultural, religious, and national identity of the Kingdom is always present in most of language policy and planning and plays a key guiding role. The power relation between Arabic and foreign languages in Saudi Arabia national and international concerns was clearly addressed in the policy document. The intertextuality traced among the policy statements provided strong evidence of cohesion in the language planning situation in Saudi Arabia.
This study is an investigation in anthroponomy of a Yemeni community which mayreflect the naming practices followed in some tribal regions of Yemen neighboring SaudiArabia. The study aims at investigating personal names, particularly... more
This study is an investigation in anthroponomy of a Yemeni community which mayreflect the naming practices followed in some tribal regions of Yemen neighboring SaudiArabia. The study aims at investigating personal names, particularly female names, asthey look very striking to a person who does not know much about the culture of thoseregions. Almost 300 personal female names are collected by the researcher usingquestionnaire as the tool for data collection. The names are, then, classified into differentcategories on the basis of their sources. For instance, Saadah and the adjacentgovernorates (in Yemen) are famous for different weapons business, so, you can hearnames like tomateek, canadah: types of gun or qunbulah: grenade). Such selection ofnames is indicative of the attitudes of the parents of the family and of the way they areassociated with the nature and the atmosphere around them as suggested by the responsesto the questionnaire. However, the changing social, political and lin...
This study deals with the speech act of greeting as offered in cross-cultural encounters between Indian as well as Arab Muslims in an Indian setting. The variation in the pragmalinguistics and sociopragmatics of greetings is investigated.... more
This study deals with the speech act of greeting as offered in cross-cultural encounters between Indian as well as Arab Muslims in an Indian setting. The variation in the pragmalinguistics and sociopragmatics of greetings is investigated. It has been found that the intricacy of the structure of Indian society is held responsible for the modification Arabic (Islamic) greetings have undergone after migrating to India with the spread of Islam. The same greeting formulas when performed by Arabs are found to have their reference in the words of Quran and the sayings of the prophet, yet they have undergone some modifications that have added to them social dimensions in addition to the religious ones. The differences in the realizations of this speech act between Indians and Arabs are likely to bring about some communication breakdowns that may lead to social misunderstandings and misconceptions. These points of divergence have been clarified so as to keep the cross-cultural communication process smooth.
"Abstract This paper presents a lexical problem traced in the interlanguage of Arab EFL learners. The analysis of the research data shows how Arabic speaking learners of English usually confuse the selection of appropriate English... more
"Abstract This paper presents a lexical problem traced in the interlanguage of Arab EFL learners. The analysis of the research data shows how Arabic speaking learners of English usually confuse the selection of appropriate English words in certain contexts. Under the pressure of the first language which is intensified by the learners' frequent reference to English-Arabic bilingual dictionaries to identify the meanings of new vocabulary, it is noticed that the subjects under investigation incorrectly read the Arabic meanings of the English words; subsequently they use them with incorrect connotations. The data was collected from the writing assignments given to Arab university students in their first and second years majoring in English in Sanaa University, Yemen and King Khalid University, KSA. Errors found were catalogued, classified and analyzed. Five outstanding subcategories were identified in these observed lexical errors, based on their parts of speech, i.e., noun, verb, adjective, adverb and preposition mismatches. Each subcategory is exemplified with typical errors, which are further diagnosed briefly. The findings of the study indicate that lexical mismatching in EFL writing results from lexical deficiency, mother tongue interference and the wrong use of bilingual dictionaries. The study recommends the need for revising both the processes of teaching and learning vocabulary. Key Words: Lexical Mismatches, Lexical Deficiency, Arabic Interference, Bilingual Dictionary, Monolingual dictionary "
This study is an investigation in anthroponomy of a Yemeni community which may reflect the naming practices followed in some tribal regions of Yemen neighboring Saudi Arabia. The study aims at investigating personal names, particularly... more
This study is an investigation in anthroponomy of a Yemeni community which may reflect the naming practices followed in some tribal regions of Yemen neighboring Saudi Arabia. The study aims at investigating personal names, particularly female names, as they look very striking to a person who does not know much about the culture of those regions. Almost 300 personal female names are collected by the researcher using questionnaire as the tool for data collection. The names are, then, classified into different categories on the basis of ...
The aim of this study is to survey and explore the history and development of language policy and planning (LPP) in Saudi Arabia. It did not only probe into Arabic, which is the national language but also attempted to discover the... more
The aim of this study is to survey and explore the history and development of language policy and planning (LPP) in Saudi Arabia. It did not only probe into Arabic, which is the national language but also attempted to discover the relationship between Arabic and foreign languages functioning in the country, including English as manifested in policy documents. The method of data analysis was qualitative. It followed the historical-structural and the discourse-analytical approaches to language policy and planning research. The source of the data used in the analysis was a monograph of the collection of language policy and planning statements compiled by King Abdullah International Centre for Arabic Language (KAICAL). The major findings of the analysis of the texts in this document showed that the modern Saudi State has paid careful attention to language planning issues since its inception. Across the history of the Kingdom until today, language issues have been of central concern and various policy statements have attempted to cover status, corpus, acquisition, and prestige planning. The rationale has always been coping with economic, social, political, and educational changes. Cultural, religious, and national identity of the Kingdom is always present in most of language policy and planning and plays a key guiding role. The power relation between Arabic and foreign languages in Saudi Arabia national and international concerns was clearly addressed in the policy document. The intertextuality traced among the policy statements provided strong evidence of cohesion in the language planning situation in Saudi Arabia.
Abstract—English has been implemented as the medium of instruction of engineering, medicine and science in Saudi universities. This decision was taken by some universities without consultation with students or teaching staff, and stands... more
Abstract—English has been implemented as the medium of instruction of engineering, medicine and science in Saudi universities. This decision was taken by some universities without consultation with students or teaching staff, and stands in violation of the Saudi policy that states that Arabic should be the language of instruction. This study investigates the attitude of 702 Saudi students and 162 instructors towards English as the medium of instruction, and towards Arabic as an alternative. The Component of Attitude and the Theory of Reasoned Behavior were adopted to analyze the findings. It explores the consequences of these choices based on theories regarding functions of attitude among students and instructors of the Science Colleges in King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia. Sub-themes include the effectiveness of English as the medium of instruction for Saudi students; the consequences of imposing English as the medium of instruction; the potential of Arabic as the medium of instruction in higher education, and students’ right to be taught in their own mother tongue. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection were used based on a questionnaire survey. Findings show strong attitudinal differences between students and instructors, which may be attributed to the degree of hegemony affecting the groups.
Index Terms—hegemony, Saudi Arabia, English, Arabic, attitudes, higher education
Research Interests:
Quality Matters Program is designed to certify the quality of online courses in colleges and universities across and beyond the U.S. The Quality Matters Rubric (QMR) consists of eight general standards and 41 specific standards which are... more
Quality Matters Program is designed to certify the quality of online courses in colleges and universities across and beyond the U.S. The Quality Matters Rubric (QMR) consists of eight general standards and 41 specific standards which are used to evaluate and design online and blended courses. The purpose of this study is to highlight the QMR standards that can contribute to providing a virtual learning space that caters for whole-person learning needs with special focus on EFL learners. In other words, the QMR has the potential to  help in designing quality online courses that make EFL learning process more humanized and with a strong sense of instructors' and learners' presence that is sometimes neglected in online or blended learning environments.
The typical characteristics attributed to Arab students are that they are obedient, uncritical, and unwilling to challenge the authority of teachers which are considered a challenge to the concept of autonomy in EFL learning. The design of EFL courses according to QMR standards are likely to make difference with regard to such cultural characteristics in a way that promotes learners'  communicative competence.
Keywords: design-based research, EFL learning, input, interaction, quality matters rubric, social presence
Research Interests:
This study explores King Khalid University English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students' views regarding the advantages and limitations of merging the features of face-to-face language instruction and online language learning via the... more
This study explores King Khalid University English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students' views regarding the advantages and limitations of merging the features of face-to-face language instruction and online language learning via the Blackboard learning management system in a new pedagogical approach called Blended Learning.  The study also examines students' suggestions for improving the quality of Blended Learning courses. The sample consists of 160 male students. The participants completed a 33-item questionnaire. The results indicate the clear advantages of this new experience in broadening students' reading opportunities and enriching their English vocabulary. Moreover, the component on advantages clearly demonstrates how Blended Learning provides an environment for more effective employment of indirect language learning strategies (Oxford, 1990) such as meta-cognitive strategies (arranging and planning learning), affective strategies (confidence enhancement), and social strategies (cooperating with others).The limitations and problems of Blended Learning highlighted by the respondents are followed by a number of practical suggestions for addressing these drawbacks, including solving technical problems, providing proper training to students, increasing the number of labs, and recognizing excellent performance of both instructors and students. Translating these suggestions into an action plan and a road map will enhance the effectiveness of using Blended Learning to create supportive learning opportunities for language learners.
A Pragmatic Analysis of Speech Acts as Produced by Native Speakers of Arabic in English is a study that aims at exploring one important aspect of the communicative competence of the second language learners. This aspect is “the pragmatic... more
A Pragmatic Analysis of Speech Acts as Produced by Native Speakers of Arabic in English is a study that aims at exploring one important aspect of the communicative competence of the second language learners. This aspect is “the pragmatic ability to perform speech acts” and the subjects under investigation are the Arab users of English as a second language in the Indian context. The particular speech acts investigated are: requests, invitations, apologies and correction of a factual error. Three major features of the pragmatic competence of the second language learners of English are highlighted in each chapter: a) Speech act realization patterns including the different types of modifications that play a role in deciding the illocutionary force of a speech act. b) The ability to perform politeness functions and the cross-cultural variations implied. c) Pragmatic transfer and the influence of cultural and linguistic background on the production of pragmatic performance in L2.
Research Interests:
"Abstract This paper focuses on the investigation of English apology strategies as employed in various social situations by Arab learners of English. These strategies are compared and contrasted against the strategies elicited in the... more
"Abstract

This paper focuses on the investigation of English apology strategies as employed in various social situations by Arab learners of English. These strategies are compared and contrasted against the strategies elicited in the same situations from  American English speakers, and British English speakers. Pragmatic transfer from Arabic is also examined. The study findings reveal that religious beliefs, concepts and values are responsible for many deviations in the Arab learners’ language from that of the native speakers of English. Moreover, Arabs using English are more keen on taking on responsibility, whereas the English native speakers are more keen on formulaic offers of repair or verbal redress. Finally, some pedagogical implications are highlighted. 

Key Words: Apology strategies, Pragmatic Transfer, cross-cultural Implications
"
Research Interests:
Abstract This paper presents a lexical problem traced in the interlanguage of Arab EFL learners. The analysis of the research data shows how Arabic speaking learners of English usually confuse the selection of appropriate English words... more
Abstract

This paper presents a lexical problem traced in the interlanguage of Arab EFL learners. The analysis of the research data shows how Arabic speaking learners of English usually confuse the selection of appropriate English words in certain contexts. Under the pressure of the first language which is intensified by the learners' frequent reference to English-Arabic bilingual dictionaries to identify the meanings of new vocabulary, it is noticed that the subjects under investigation incorrectly read the Arabic meanings of the English words; subsequently they use them with incorrect connotations.
The data was collected from the writing assignments given to Arab university students in their first and second years majoring in English in Sanaa University, Yemen and King Khalid University, KSA. Errors found were catalogued, classified and analyzed. Five outstanding subcategories were identified in these observed lexical errors, based on their parts of speech, i.e., noun, verb, adjective, adverb and preposition mismatches. Each subcategory is exemplified with typical errors, which are further diagnosed briefly. The findings of the study indicate that lexical mismatching in EFL writing results from lexical deficiency, mother tongue interference and the wrong use of bilingual dictionaries.
The study recommends the need for revising both the processes of teaching and learning vocabulary. 

Key Words: Lexical Mismatches, Lexical Deficiency, Arabic Interference, Bilingual Dictionary, Monolingual dictionary
ABSTRACT This study deals with the speech act of greeting as offered in cross-cultural encounters between Indian as well as Arab Muslims in an Indian setting. The variation in the pragmalinguistics and sociopragmatics of greetings is... more
ABSTRACT

This study deals with the speech act of greeting as offered in cross-cultural encounters between Indian as well as Arab Muslims in an Indian setting. The variation in the pragmalinguistics and sociopragmatics of greetings is investigated. It has been found that the intricacy of the structure of Indian society is held responsible for the modification Arabic (Islamic) greetings have undergone after migrating to India with the spread of Islam. The same greeting formulas when performed by Arabs are found to have their reference in the words of Quran and the sayings of the prophet, yet they have undergone some modifications that have added to them social dimensions in addition to the religious ones. The differences in the realizations of this speech act between Indians and Arabs are likely to bring about some communication breakdowns that may lead to social misunderstandings and misconceptions. These points of divergence have been clarified so as to keep the cross-cultural communication process smooth. 

Key words: assalamu alaykum: wa alaykumussalam, pragmalinguistics, sociopragmatics, familiarity, power.
A Socio-cultural and Linguistic Analysis of Yemeni Arabic Personal Names ABSTRACT This study is an investigation in anthroponomy of a Yemeni community which may reflect the naming practices followed in some tribal regions of Yemen... more
A Socio-cultural and Linguistic Analysis of Yemeni Arabic Personal Names

ABSTRACT
This study is an investigation in anthroponomy of a Yemeni community which may reflect the naming practices followed in some tribal regions of Yemen neighboring Saudi Arabia. The study aims at investigating personal names, particularly female names, as they look very striking to a person who does not know much about the culture of those regions.
Almost 300 personal female names are collected by the researcher using questionnaire as the tool for data collection. The names are, then, classified into different categories on the basis of their sources. For instance,  Saadah and the adjacent governorates (in Yemen) are famous for different weapons business, so, you can hear names like tomateek, canadah: types of gun or qunbulah: grenade). Such selection of names is indicative of the attitudes of the parents of the family and of the way they are associated with the nature and the atmosphere around them as suggested by the responses to the questionnaire. However, the changing social, political and linguistic influences on the land and the people of Saadah and the neighboring places  (in Yemen) have left their impact on naming patterns. As a result naming practices are changing.
This study is a preliminary investigation in anthroponomy of the Yemeni community, to be precise in the north and north west part of the country. It is an attempt toward understanding anthroponomy as a branch of the science of Onomastics in the region in relation to sociolinguistics.
Key Words: anthroponomy, naming system, semantic analysis, sociolinguistic analysis.