Abstract
This study measures the extent to which Arabic-speaking EFL learners are aware of polysemy in English. It also investigates whether the English proficiency level of Arabic-speaking EFL learners plays a role in their ability to distinguish between the various meanings of English polysemous words, and whether they face problems when they encounter these words in unusual contexts (i.e. the contexts that employ the extended meanings of the target polysemous words). To these ends, a translation test in which the participants were asked to give full Arabic translation for fifteen English sentences was designed. The words open, run, and make were the target polysemous words in this study. The Results show that Arabic-speaking EFL learners have little awareness of polysemy in English, and their English proficiency level does play a role in their ability to distinguish between the different meanings of English polysemous words. It was also found that Arabic-speaking EFL learners have no problems guessing the primary meaning of the English polysemous words. However, they face difficulty guessing the extended meanings of polysemous words in unusual contexts. Moreover, some Arabic-speaking EFL learners can guess the extended meanings of the polysemous words they encounter in familiar contexts, or when they understand some cues provided to disambiguate these words. This study concludes with some pedagogical implications and recommendations for further studies.
Highlights
Vocabulary is one of the most important aspects of learning a second language (L2)
The results show that providing students with primary meaning cues can help them guess the extended meanings of unfamiliar polysemous words, but providing them with non-primary meanings make it difficult for them to guess the extended meanings of the same words
The findings of this study show that frequent polysemous words, polysemous nouns, tend to be acquired and retained by Taiwanese English major EFL learners compared to words with other characteristics
Summary
Vocabulary is one of the most important aspects of learning a second language (L2). It is enriched by the production of new words either by morphological means or by the development of polysemy, which is one of the general characteristic features of a language. Awareness of polysemous words in contexts helps EFL learners become independent and effective learners capable of deciding how to memorise various meanings of a word and choosing the appropriate meaning out of several meanings they encounter with the aid of a dictionary (Zibin & Altakhaineh, 2014; Wei & Lou, 2015). It is crucially important for EFL learners to grasp and acquire knowledge of polysemous words
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
