The Role of Integrative Motivation in the Acquisition of American English Slang by Saudi Female Undergraduate English Majors

Abstract

The acquisition of slang is crucial for English language learners (ELLs) who aim to achieve a native-like fluency. Not only are such learners motivated by these ambitions, but some of them also wish to integrate socially into the English language cultural community. This paper set out to examine the acquisition of American English slang by Saudi female undergraduate English majors in a foreign language (FL) context. The study aimed specifically to examine the relationship between their receptive and productive knowledge of American English slang and their university level and integrative motivation. In order to achieve these objectives, a total of 93 Saudi female undergraduate English majors at Prince Sultan University (PSU) in Riyadh participated in the study. The students were given a test of American English slang and a questionnaire measuring their integrative motivation. The test results demonstrated that their knowledge of American English slang was moderately limited. The results also revealed that their receptive knowledge of American English slang was better than their productive knowledge. The results of the questionnaire showed that the students’ integrative motivation level was moderately high. Moreover, no effect of university level on the students' knowledge of American English slang was found. With regard to integrative motivation, no correlation was found between the students’ overall integrative motivation and their knowledge of American English slang. In light of these results, implications and recommendations for further research are presented.