Linguistics: Semantics & Pragmatics, Syntax, Morphology, Language Documentation
Shadden Alfadhil is a Ph.D. student and teaching assistant in the Linguistics Program. Her areas of interest include semantics & pragmatics, syntax, morphology, and language documentation. She is specifically interested in ambiguity and contextual factors that affect language. Shadden primarily works on the documentation of Najdi Arabic, a language that is widely spoken in Saudi Arabia but is underdocumented. She also has experience in experimental linguistics and research that involves the teachability of linguistic concepts to English language learners.
As an American-born Saudi, her fascination with language grew through the exposure to two languages simultaneously early in life and the comparison of Arabic to English and vice versa.
Documentation of meaning and structure in Najdi Arabic, which includes discourse markers, compounding, and other various topics.
Teaching the pragmatic functions of the English discourse marker "but" to advanced English language learners.
Spring 2024: LING 306 (General Linguistics: Recitation)
Spring 2022: LING 306 (General Linguistics – TA), LING 522 (English Grammar and Pedagogy)
Fall 2021: LING 306 (General Linguistics – TA), LING 787 (Syntax II – TA)
2021 - M.A., English: Linguistics, George Mason University
2021 - Graduate Certificate, TESOL, George Mason University
2016 - B.A., English Language (Linguistics) and Literature, King Saud University