Our certificates are baptized : lexical mismatching in Arab students' efl writing

Abstract EN

This paper presents a lexical problem traced in the interlanguage of Arab EFL learners.

The analysis of the research data shows how Arabic speaking learners of English usually confuse the selection of appropriate English words in certain contexts.

Under the pressure of the first language which is intensified by the learners' frequent reference to English-Arabic bilingual dictionaries to identify the meanings of new vocabulary, it is noticed that the subjects under investigation incorrectly read the Arabic meanings of the English words ; subsequently they use them with incorrect connotations.

The data was collected from the writing assignments given to Arab university students in their first and second years majoring in English in Sanaa University, Yemen and King Khaled University, KSA.

Errors found were catalogued, classified and analyzed.

Five outstanding subcategories were identified in these observed lexical errors, based on their parts of speech, i.

e., noun, verb, adjective, adverb and preposition mismatches.

Each subcategory is exemplified with typical errors, which are further diagnosed briefly.

The findings of the study indicate that lexical mismatching in EFL writing results from lexical deficiency, mother tongue interference and the wrong use of bilingual dictionaries.

The study recommends the need for revising both the processes of teaching and learning vocabulary.