Résumé:
The linguistic situation in Algeria is characterized by the coexistence of French
and English as two foreign languages. Given the reality that most of the Indo-
European languages share cognates and that learners transfer from one
language into another, the present dissertation investigated the influence of
French-English cognates on English vocabulary acquisition among Algerian
learners with a strong background in French. It aimed to examine whether this
knowledge enhances or hinders vocabulary acquisition. It also assessed
learners’ awareness and perceptions of French-English cognates. A descriptive
research design was employed. The data were collected using a vocabulary test
and a questionnaire, both developed by the researchers and administered to 38
third year students at the department of French, University of Mohamed Seddik
Ben Yahia-Jijel. The findings revealed that true cognates, especially identical
ones, enhance vocabulary recognition and production, while false cognates
interfere and lead to errors. Additionally, the majority of learners demonstrated
awareness of French-English cognates, more precisely, false cognates.
However, their awareness was limited to the linguistic level. Finally, learners
perceived true cognates as facilitators during the process of vocabulary
acquisition, while they considered false cognates as impediments. These
findings emphasize the need for more explicit instruction on cognates,
especially false cognates, in FL classes to develop deeper awareness that
extends from theory to practice.
