A Developmental Trajectory of Stance and Modality in Second Language Hebrew Argumentative Writing: A Function-to-Form Analysis of Arabic-Speaking Learners

Second language (L2) writing, particularly in demanding areas like argumentative discourse, requires learners to effectively manage interpersonal resources such as stance and modality. Despite the centrality of stance in academic literacy, its development in L2 Hebrew writing remains largely underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining how Arabic-speaking learners of Hebrew realize epistemic, deontic, and evaluative stance in their interlanguage writing. Using a qualitative, concept-oriented, function-to-form analytical approach, the analysis examined 92 authentic argumentative essays (11,572 words) produced by L1 Arabic speakers under standardized examination conditions and systematically classified each modal expression into one of three empirically derived interlanguage developmental levels. The findings reveal a clear and consistent developmental progression across all three modal domains. Developmental patterns are inferred from interlanguage variation across proficiency levels rather than tracked longitudinally. Basic-level expressions relied primarily on high-frequency, spoken-like vocabulary and explicit personal opinion markers. Intermediate-level expressions displayed greater lexical variety and a shift toward a more abstract stance but remained marked by morphosyntactic instability and L1 influence, often producing hybrid or non-target-like constructions. Advanced writers effectively deployed idiomatic, low-frequency, and structurally more complex modal constructions aligned with conventions of Hebrew academic writing.