Third Language Learning: Insights from MA Students Through the L2 Motivational Self-System & Attribution Theory Lenses

This qualitative study uses a semi-structured interview to investigate why Saudi learners stop learning a third language and whether these reasons are permanent or temporary. The participants were six female master’s degree students who had experience learning a third language outside of formal education or informal settings. This study identifies the most popular foreign languages learned as a third language (L3) by female postgraduate students in Saudi Arabia. It examines their attitudes and motivation towards learning these languages, explores the reasons why they stop learning them, and draws implications for foreign language teaching and learning in Saudi Arabia. The findings indicated that most participants who stopped learning had temporary reasons, such as lack of time and being busy with work or life responsibilities, even though they had the motivation to learn at the beginning. The study also revealed the profound influence of social media and the internet on the participants’ learning process, underscoring the role of technology in foreign language learning.