Affective and personality factors in learning Arabic as a foreign language: A case study

This paper sets out to investigate the role of affective and personality factors in learning Arabic as a foreign and, to a much lesser extent, second language by considering the experiences and performance of learners from a British university. The paper suggests that the motivation of the learners is neither integrative nor instrumental, but intellectual in the sense that the learners choose to study Arabic because this activity is seen as being challenging and stimulating. The paper also suggests that the learning of Arabic has a generally beneficial effect on the learners' attitudes towards the target culture and its speakers, but not to the extent of radically changing all negative stereotypes which exist in the West towards the Arabs and their culture. The paper also highlights the effects of culture shock on learning Arabic as a second language, suggesting that perceived resilience of learners at home may not always be an accurate indicator of their ability to cope with all the challenges that the target culture puts in their way.