المستخلص: |
Bilingualism is a phenomenon which has been the subject of much academic research (Sorace, 2004). This dissertation analyses bilingualism among Arabic English bilingual adults in the UK. In particular, the dissertation analyses the key advantages and disadvantages which are associated with bilingualism, and the similarities and differences which exist between bilingualism in adults and in children. A survey on a sample of 20 bilingual Arabic English adults is conducted. The findings of the dissertation suggest that the key advantages of Arabic English bilingualism are the range of professional and educational opportunities which are available, and the ability to understand English language media, while the key differences between adult and child bilingualism are the fact that adults adopt more conscious learning strategies in second language acquisition and are also more likely to experience first language attrition, although the results of the survey suggest that first language attrition is a less common phenomenon than is suggested in the existing body of academic literature.
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