Translational Collocational Strategies of Arab Learners of English

Abstract

Arab learners of English encounter a serious problem with collocational sequences. The present study purports to determine the extent to which university English language majors can use English collocations properly. A two-form translation test of 16 Arabic collocations was administered to both graduate and undergraduate students of English. The first form included the English translation in a multiple-choice format whereas the other was given as a free translation task. The findings confirmed the writers’ hypothesis that Arab learners of English at all levels face difficulty with English collocations. Moreover, the study aimed at the characterization of the communicative strategies imple-mented by the subjects in their attempts to convey the English meaning. Twelve such strategies have been identified, exemplified and described. The findings have substanti-ated the role of the NL in FL production as well as the need for explicit instructional focus on collocation in school and university.