The association of second language learning motivation and target-like article production in English-major female Saudi students: a sociolinguistic approach

Since 1970, an increasing number of young Saudi women are learning the English language as part of their formal education, including its study at tertiary level in Saudi Arabia. However, performances at the level of morphology differ greatly among female learners. This study observes the inconsistencies in target language article use among advanced learners and asks whether differences in L2 motivation may contribute to interlanguage variation in article forms. The research aimed to answer the following questions: (1) what are the motivational profiles of English-major Saudi female students at a public university in Saudi Arabia? (2) to what degree can motivation predict learners’ use of target-like article forms? and (3) what are the socio-cultural factors that shape English-major Saudi female English learners’ second language motivation and identity? Of 207 students who completed questionnaires, 25 agreed to complete eight writing tasks and to be interviewed. The composite Second Language Motivational Self-System index of second language motivation was used to analyse the questionnaire and interview data. Both social and linguistic factors were found to be associated with target-like article production. Plural noun phrases and parents with higher English competency were associated with higher probabilities of target-like production of article forms, and singular noun phrases were associated with lower probabilities. Students generally were found to have high levels of motivation, which did not differ by type of English course studied. Despite this, motivation was found not to be a significant factor in the production of article forms. An important socio-cultural factor that shaped the student’s motivation and identity was they appeared to have formed a collective L2 self that included their family, with the father is a dominant position. In conclusion, there was no direct connection between L2 motivation and target-like article production, which instead might be mediated by numerous other social and linguistic factors.