Mastering English Compounds by Saudi learners

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the acquisition of English compounds among Saudi EFL learners. The focus was on the comprehension of particular compound types, specifically subordinative, attributive, and coordinative compounds, by considering the concepts of endocentricity and exocentricity. The sample involved 236 Saudi female students. The data was gathered by using a questionnaire in which the participants were instructed to provide the meaning of 24 compounds without relying on a dictionary. The results reveal that 75% of the responses were accurate. This implies that Saudi EFL learners may have a sufficient grasp of English compounds. The findings indicate that the learners performed better in endocentric compounds compared to exocentric compounds. The findings showed that the learners had a higher level of mastery of subordinative and attributive endocentric compounds, followed by coordinative compounds. This is attributed to the transparency of meaning for endocentric compounds.