The status of Arabic, superdiversity, and language learning motivation among non-Arab expats in the Gulf

Abstract

This study uses the L2 Motivational Self System framework to explore the motivational profiles of 114 non-Arab expatriate teenagers attending UK curriculum schools in the United Arab Emirates. The study specifically investigates their motivational self concepts as these relate to the simultaneous learning of English, Arabic and, in some instances, an additional foreign language. The results of the study indicate that while participants are most motivated to learn English, this does not have a negative effect on their motivation to learn languages other than English (LOTEs). The findings also suggest that competitiveness positively correlates with an individual's motivation to be multilingual. As for Arabic, the study shows that participants approach its study in mostly functional terms, and are not particularly interested in Arabic media or culture. Parental influence also does not appear to be an important motivating factor with respect to participants’ decision to learn LOTEs. This study not only sheds light on the language learning motivations of expatriate teenagers in the Gulf, especially with respect to Arabic, but it also contributes to research on motivation as it concerns the learning of languages other than English.