Relative Clause Attachment Ambiguity Resolution: Advanced Arabic, English, and French Learners in Comparison

Mohammad Saber Khaghaninejad; Zahra Soleimani; Rahim Fahandejsaadi; Danesh Mohammadi

doi:10.47012/jjmll.18.2.5

Authors

Mohammad Saber Khaghaninejad Department of foreign languages and linguistics, Shiraz University, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6438-351X
Zahra Soleimani Department of foreign languages and linguistics, Shiraz University, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3937-3800
Rahim Fahandejsaadi Department of foreign languages and linguistics, Shiraz University, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5133-1836
Danesh Mohammadi Department of Arabic language and literature, Shiraz University, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1999-6947

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47012/jjmll.18.2.5

Keywords:

Foreign Language Learners, High versus Low RC-Attachment, Relative Clause Ambiguity Resolution, Predicate Proximity

Abstract

This study explores the resolution of relative clauses (RCs) attachment ambiguity by Persian-speaking English, Arabic, and French advanced learners, focusing on examining the universality of the Predicate Proximity principle. It experiments whether advanced foreign language learners exhibit similar or language-specific preferences (High versus Low RC attachment) when processing RCs. Employing the convenience sampling procedure, ninety male and female advanced learners (form the initial pool of 112) were recruited for the parallel RC disambiguation tests in English, French and Arabic language. The results indicated a predominant preference for high attachment (HA) across all participants, supporting the universality of Predicate Proximity in parsing sentences. Similarity in attachment preferences among the learners of different languages suggests that the resolution strategies were not affected by the language they were learning. The findings imply that an underlying universal cognitive mechanism functions for RC-attachment resolution for advanced learners English, Arabic and French.

Highlights:

Similar mental processes (e.g., Predicate proximity) are employed by learners of different foreign languages irrespective of the language they are learning.
This mental preference (i.e., Prediactae proximity) for relative clause attachment resolution is universal rather than language-specific.
For sentence processing and comprehension, our mind works under some mental regulations (preferences) which are approximately utilized for the processing/comprehension tasks of all the exposed languages.
The mental processing preferences are neither gender-dependent nor language-specific.
Learners of different foreign languages preferred high relative clause attachment for disambiguating the ambiguous sentences.