Investigates the effect of vowels and context on reading accuracy of skilled adult native Arabic speakers in Arabic and in Hebrew, their second language. Reveals a significant effect for vowels and for context across all reading conditions in Arabic and Hebrew. Finds that the vowelized texts in Arabic and the pointed and unpointed texts in Hebrew…

Deals with two compromise strategies: (1) embedded language islands (EL Islands), and (2) "bare forms" in code switching (CS) within the projection of complementizer. These elements are discussed within the framework of the Matrix Language Frame Model. Shows how this model provides an explanatory account for the occurrence of both EL…

Reviews recent research on crosslinguistic variation. Suggests that lexical systems are as notable for their differences as they are for their similarities. (Author/VWL)

An asynchronous online translation discussion forum was created and used to post texts to be translated by participating English-Arabic student translators from different countries. Volunteer translation instructors read participants' translations and gave communicative feedback on the location and types of errors. Errors were color-coded. No…

The Fort Hamilton High School Greek, Arabic, and Spanish Bilingual Program (GRASP) served 200 Brooklyn, New York, students found to have limited proficiency in English. Students received instruction in English as a Second Language or remedial English, native language arts (except Arabic), and native language instruction in science, social studies,…

A TEACHING MANUAL FOR AN ELEMENTARY (FIRST LEVEL) COURSE IN THE ARABIC LANGUAGE IS PRESENTED. THE COURSE USES AN AUDIOLINGUAL-TO-GRAPHIC APPROACH OF INSTRUCTION, DIVIDED INTO THREE MAJOR PARTS. THE FIRST PART EMPHASIZES THE DEVELOPMENT OF ORAL SKILLS IN PREREADING INSTRUCTIONAL EXERCISES. PART TWO CONSISTS OF A SYSTEMATIC PRESENTATION OF THE…

The syllabus reflects a course in Islamic civilization taught at the University of Chicago and includes the recommendations of participants at a conference on the problems of presenting such a course. The "civilization approach" offers a panoramic view of various related fields, affords a perspective on the problems of analyzing changes over time,…

This study was designed to compare children and adults on their initial ability to identify and reproduce novel speech sounds and to evaluate their performance after receiving several training sessions in producing these sounds. The novel speech sounds used were two voiceless fricatives which are consonant phonemes in Arabic but which are…

This intermediate-level reader in Moroccan Arabic is designed to provide (1) a text which will be articulatable with a basic course, (2) natural language in "advanced colloquial" rather than a literary style, and (3) material which is culturally insightful. The cultural aspects represented are those of inter-personal relationships,…

Presents samples of 15 styles of Arabic script for a verse from the Koran. The introduction briefly describes semitic language structure. (Author/DB)

Describes proposed oral achievement test for elementary Arabic based on teaching material used at University of Michigan. The rationale for testing oral skills at the elementary level and previous types of oral testing of Arabic are outlined. A test facsimile and sample items are provided, including an exploration of the test's format, scoring…

Judgment analysis (JAN) and JAN-paired comparison (JAN-PC) were compared as a statistical policy-capturing strategy. The readability of 15 selected passages used in grades 1-6 was evaluated. More consistent results for each judge (five Arabic teachers of reading) and fewer policies were obtained with JAN-PC than with JAN. (TJH)

Examines the syntactic aspects of code-switching from Egyptian to standard Arabic, as displayed in radio and television interviews and panel discussions. The process does not proceed randomly but is governed by principles dependent on switch position, type of category involved at the switch position, and language variety. (Author/CB)

Reviews literature pertaining to the subtle differences between the meanings of the particles "waw al-ma iyya" and "fa al-sababiyya," emphasizing their construction differences. (CB)

The author's response to James Flege's critique (in this issue of "Language Learning") regarding earlier research on second-language timing patterns is presented. (LMO)