The acquisition of nationality words by Jordanian EFL learners

Abstract EN

This paper reports on the findings of a study on the acquisition of nationality words (NWs) by a group of Jordanian EFL learners at the University of Jordan.

The data is elicited through a written task of 88 items representing all sets/subsets of NWs in English.

Analysis of the data suggests that NWs formed through suffixation (e.g.

Syria-Syrian) are found easier than those formed by clipping (e.g.

Thailand-Thai) and suppletion (e.g.

Holland-Dutch).

The error data shows that -ian is the most frequently overgeneralized suffix, which suggests that it has been perceived as the unmarked/least marked nationality marker.

Nonetheless, NWs with high scores seem to possess at least one of four independent, though interrelated, features.

Furthermore, the findings suggest that learnability predictions in the context of L2 acquisition cannot be based solely on markedness grounds, as some NWs containing (more) marked suffixes (e.g.

Chinese and French) are found equally easy to those involving the use of unmarked suffixes (e.g.

Syrian and American).

The paper concludes with a number of implications and recommendations for further research in L2 acquisition, derivational morphology and lexicography.