I first started teaching Saudis in 2004 while i was still at Freshman at university. I would give the entire class help sessions for both Economics and Management. Since then I have randomly taught here and there but it was just last May that I began teaching the English at Language institutes.
Now we all know the Arab nation is infamous for not being able to say the "P", replacing it with "B". They love to barty and drink bebsi. I honestly dont really blame them for that since the Arabic alphabet doesnt exactly have a letter equivalent to "p" so the next best alternative is "b". I get that i really do, it may sound funny but i still get it.
Now cant say speak for other Arab countries but I've noticed a trend among Saudis where they seem to switch around the me and my when they are reading. So basically if it says me they will read it as my and vice a versa. Initially I ignored it off as having a dyslexic student, but realized
about 80% of my class would make that mistake. Then when I changed jobs I noticed that the students at the new place had the same problem when it came to reading. It was very much apparent in both kids and adults. What are the odds that more than half my class is dyslexic!?!
When it came to speaking it was even more interesting how a lot of these people end up using double possessives. When they want to talk about themselves they will always use me and my. So for example they will say something like: "me, my school very big" or "me my dad is have work doctor".
i have lived in the Middle East all my life but only found people from the Kingdom to repeatedly make that mistake when speaking English. It has risen my interest and got me motivated to do some more analysis and research on this and figure out as to why they do that. Yes I know, Im a bored soul with way too much time on her hands ... if my blog isnt proof enough then I dont know what is :p
Now we all know the Arab nation is infamous for not being able to say the "P", replacing it with "B". They love to barty and drink bebsi. I honestly dont really blame them for that since the Arabic alphabet doesnt exactly have a letter equivalent to "p" so the next best alternative is "b". I get that i really do, it may sound funny but i still get it.
Now cant say speak for other Arab countries but I've noticed a trend among Saudis where they seem to switch around the me and my when they are reading. So basically if it says me they will read it as my and vice a versa. Initially I ignored it off as having a dyslexic student, but realized
about 80% of my class would make that mistake. Then when I changed jobs I noticed that the students at the new place had the same problem when it came to reading. It was very much apparent in both kids and adults. What are the odds that more than half my class is dyslexic!?!
When it came to speaking it was even more interesting how a lot of these people end up using double possessives. When they want to talk about themselves they will always use me and my. So for example they will say something like: "me, my school very big" or "me my dad is have work doctor".
i have lived in the Middle East all my life but only found people from the Kingdom to repeatedly make that mistake when speaking English. It has risen my interest and got me motivated to do some more analysis and research on this and figure out as to why they do that. Yes I know, Im a bored soul with way too much time on her hands ... if my blog isnt proof enough then I dont know what is :p
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