Speech Act Functions

1987 ◽  
Vol 76 ◽  
pp. 43-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Efurosibina Adegbija
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Background Information ◽  
World Knowledge ◽  
English Usage ◽  
Language Context ◽  
Relevant Factors

This paper examines samples of spoken data with a view to elucidating the problem of the performing of speech acts in a Second language context of English usage. The encoding and decoding of speech acts, the author shows, involve a network of cognitive processes in which the linguistic competence of the participants, their world knowledge, their psychological state, and their knowledge of socially and culturally relevant factors of the situation are accessed, activated, and put to work in the process of inferring the meaning and the speech act function of utterances; a process which is essentially one of semantic and pragmatic decision-making. For communication to succeed, participants in the communicative event must share mutual factual background information and be able to activate this when it proves relevant to the discourse at hand. Incompetence in the use of the target language may lead to the performance of an unintended speech act and the decoder's misinterpretation. Therefore, speakers of English in a Second language or multilingual context should make allowance for unintended speech acts, and should be particularly sensitive to the total context of communication.

scholarly journals The Effect of Instruction on Learners' Pragmatic Awareness: a Focus on Refusals

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Alcón Soler ◽  
Josep Guzmán Pitarch
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Pragmatic Awareness ◽  
Research Gap ◽  
Instructional Contexts

The benefits of instruction on learners’ production and awareness of speech acts is well documented (see Alcón and Martínez-Flor, 2008, for a review of pragmatics in instructional contexts). However, few studies examine the influence that instruction may have on the cognitive processes involved in speech act production (Félix- Brasdefer, 2008). In order to address this research gap, and taking into account the discussion in research on the concept of attention and related terms such as awareness (see Al-Hejin, 2004, for a review of the role of attention and awareness in second language acquisition research) this paper reports on the benefits of instruction on learners’ attention and awareness during the performance of refusals. Thus, based on a pedagogical proposal for teaching refusals at the discourse level, we focus on the benefits that this pedagogical proposal can have on the information attended to during the planning and execution of refusals. Secondly, we explore whether instruction makes a difference in learners’ awareness of refusals.

scholarly journals Cross-Sectional Study of Refusal Speech Act Used by Iraqi Undergraduate Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 166-173
Author(s):  
Hutheifa Y. Turki ◽  
Juma’a Q. Hussein ◽  
Ahmed A. Al-Kubaisy
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Arabic And English ◽  
Refusal Strategies

This paper is conducted to investigate how Iraqi EFL learners refuse different speech acts across different proficiency levels. It aims to examine the most appropriate strategies used by 2nd year students of English as compared to those of 4th year when refusing their interlocutors' invitation, suggestion, and offer. WDCT questionnaire was used to collect data from 40 Iraqi undergraduate students of English: 20 2nd year and 20 4th year. Adopting Beebe et al.'s (1990) theory of refusal, data collected was analyzed quantitatively using statistical analysis. The findings revealed that the 2nd year students of English were more frequent in using direct refusals than their 4th year counterparts. This means the latter were more aware of using refusals politely than the former. On the other hand, the findings showed that 4th year students more frequent in their use of indirect refusal strategies that the 2nd year students. This indicates that the EFL learners of low proficiency level might not bridge the gap between the pragmalinguistic strategies and the grammatical form of the target language. This means that they were not pragmatically competent of the use of the appropriate pragmalinguistic strategies. This implies that the 2nd year students need to pay more attention to pragmatics and use their refusal strategies appropriately. Thus, the paper recommends conducting further research on the use of refusal speech act in Arabic and English.

Kommunikationsprobleme Von "Near Native Speakern" Deutsch

1986 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 37-46
Author(s):  
Erika Niehaus
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Social Situation ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
Social Strategies ◽  
The Social ◽  
Indirect Speech Act

Communication has at least two different aspects: the propositi-onal aspect and the social aspect. Any utterance in a face-to-face-interaction therefore has the function to give information and to indicate how the ralation to the other participant is interpreted. In order to establish his communicative goal, the speaker has to analyse the social situation and the preceding context. Depending on this interpretation he selects between the different verbal patterns to perform a certain speech act. This involves for instance the choice of direct/indirect speech act realizations, the selection of certain linguistic elements (modality markers) for downtoning or upgrading the illocutionary force of speech acts. The contrastive analysis of the realizations of the speech act REQUEST in three different dialogue batteries elicited via role play from Dutch learners of German, native speakers of Dutch and native speakers of German has shown 1. that Dutch native speakers use modality markers in different communicative functions than German native speakers, 2. that Dutch learners of German mostly choose the same social strategies when speaking the target language as they do when speaking the mother tongue, 3. that the learners are not always able to establish their modal goal, that is, the are not able to communicate their intentions on an interpersonal level. The reason for this seems to be that in the Netherlands the teaching of German as a second language is mainly a matter of teaching grammatical rules and linguistic expressions without taking into consideration that the meaning of these expressions is pragmaticalley conditioned and that their usage is motivated by the relevant characteris-tics of such social situations.

A framework for learner agency in online spoken interaction tasks

ReCALL ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 276-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janine Knight ◽  
Elena Barbera ◽  
Christine Appel
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Language Functions ◽  
Information Gap ◽  
Learner Agency ◽  
Spoken Interaction

AbstractLearner agency, the capability of individual human beings to make choices and act on these choices in a way that makes a difference in their lives (Martin, 2004), is instrumental in second language learning because attainment is only arrived at by learner choice (Pavlenko & Lantolf, 2000). If attainment is understood as learner engagement in synchronous, collaborative, spoken interaction which is thought to lead to gains in second language acquisition (SLA), then design considerations that harness learners’ agency towards that end is important. This study explores the relationship between learner agency and two different task types, namely an information-gap task and an opinion-sharing task in two peer-to-peer synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) spoken interaction events. Students’ choices and how students act on these choices during tasks are analysed using a discourse analysis approach. Audio recordings of four dyads as cases were examined using three analytical dimensions: language functions of verbal interaction, cognitive processing and social processing. The results show that most learners used their agency to reconfigure the tasks from spontaneous to planned interaction, with some choices and actions relating to technology impacting detrimentally on interaction time in the target language. The different tasks were found to filter and channel different types of agency that learners could exercise, namely representational, organisational, and strategic agency as speech acts, and directional agency as a physical act. These types consisted of different natures and purposes and are presented as a framework. The information-gap task supported strategic agency and an opinion-sharing task supported personalisation and identity construction or representational agency.

scholarly journals Exploring Speech Act of English and Tshivenda Representatives and Directives

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 372-382
Author(s):  
Farisani Thomas Nephawe ◽  
Matodzi Nancy Lambani
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
The World ◽  
And Function

Competence in English pragmatics enhances the use of English in social contexts throughout the world. However, using English as a second language is always problematic particularly when it comes to the interpretation of speech act in English. The differences in structure and function between English and other languages such as Tshivenda are conspicuous. The current research explored Speech Act of English and Tshivenda representatives and directives among the Tshivenda-speaking people. The findings revealed that the Tshivenda-speaking people faced difficulties utilising English Speech Acts such as representatives, and directives. The research recommends frequent interaction between those proficient in English and Tshivenda-speaking people.

scholarly journals Interpretation and Translation of Figures of Speech in the Holy Qur’an: Implications and Theory

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (8) ◽  
pp. 45-53
Author(s):  
ALSHAMMARI HASAN RSHAID ◽  
SHEHDA R.S. ABUISAAC
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Multiple Functions ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Figures Of Speech ◽  
Componential Analysis ◽  
Linguistic System ◽  
Pragmatic Aspects ◽  
Language Text

This study attempts to examine how rhetorical speech acts interface at the lexicosemantic and pragma-emotive levels in the Qur’an. It examines how these acts are interpreted and translated into English despite the fact that one speech act may convey two or more figures of speech i.e., irony, exaggeration, understatement, satire, etc.   The selected data samples are methodologically classified and interpreted according to Allusional Pretence Theory by Nakamura, and Nida’s Theory of Equivalence. The data samples are qualitatively analysed. The findings show first that there is a vast body of multiple functions and dissociative thoughts resulting from rhetorical speech acts interface in the Qur’anic discourse. The findings show that translating interrelated rhetorical speech acts is a formidable challenging task due to fundamental differences in the syntactic, semantic, phonological and pragmatic aspects differentiating the Arabic linguistic system from its English counterpart. Componential Analysis Approach is found essential in solving the semantic ambiguities of the source language lexical items into the target language text.

scholarly journals The Semantics and Pragmatics Analysis of Javanese and English Apologetic Speech Acts

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Betari Irma Ghasani
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
English Expression ◽  
Collaboration Model ◽  
Illocutionary Acts ◽  
Semantics And Pragmatics

Reconsidering the role of apologizing as one of fundamental aspects in speech act learner has become important nowadays. It is argued that acquiring apologizing speech act can build their attitude. The purpose of this study is analyzing semantic and pragmatic of Javanese apologetic speech act, especially with respect how Javanese apologetic speech act expression differ conceptuallyfrom English expression. In order to fi nd out the differences between Javanese apologetic speech act nuwun sewu”and English speech act sorry, I used the natural semantic metalanguage proposed by Wierzbicka (1987). Furthermore, I described some distinguishable features of Javanese culture as well. By using Blum-Kulka (1989) and her collaboration model, I analyzed Javanese apologyspeech act strategies found in several conversations and situations. The fi ndings of my study are the attitudinal meanings of nuwun sewu and sorry, as well as the illocutionary acts associated with the two expressions are different. My study further suggests that conceptualizing speech act expressions, using semantically simple words, may help second learners acquire the proper ways of using speechacts in the target language and culture.

scholarly journals Pragmatic dimensions of Prospect Series: A textbook evaluation

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 76-86
Author(s):  
Ali Asghar Ghasemi ◽  
Parastou Gholami Pasand
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Textbook Evaluation ◽  
Language Functions ◽  
Data Analyses ◽  
Limit Language ◽  
Do So

The development of pragmatic and sociolinguistic competence is very important for language users as failure to have adequate competence can cause miscommunications. Textbooks can play a significant role in equipping learners with pragmatic competence in EFL contexts where enough exposure to the target language is not possible. This paper investigates the pragmatic dimensions of Prospect Series, Iranian high school textbooks, and the extent to which these books can be reliable sources for developing language learners’ pragmatic competence. To do so, Cohen’s (1996) and van Ek and Trim’s (1998) taxonomies of speech acts and functions were employed to manifest whether the books are pragmatically suitable. The data analyses revealed that all types of speech acts were present, although unequally, throughout the series, except Declaratives which has been ignored in the conversations of Prospect1, 2, and 3. Lack of Declaratives as being reportedly a frequently-used speech act in everyday conversations is a big disadvantage. Additionally, all kinds of language functions were present in the textbooks but rather erratically and unevenly. The findings seem to imply that lack of Declaratives, and unequal distributions of language functions and speech acts may limit language learners’ pragmatic competence, which can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunications. To compensate the drawbacks, several implications were provided.

scholarly journals Pragmatic Competence: Difficulties faced by Pakistani EFL Learners

sjesr ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 444-451
Author(s):  
Dr. Sikander Ali ◽  
Muhammad Ashraf
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Effective Communication ◽  
Likert Scale ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Competence Level ◽  
Pragmatic Failure ◽  
Pragmatic Knowledge

The study investigates the pragmatic knowledge; pragmatic competence level as well as speech act strategies used by Pakistani EFL learners. It reveals that Master level English language learners are unable to produce and comprehend the intended meanings in the target language. As a result, pragmatic failure and misunderstanding occurred. Pragmatic comprehension and production is essential for effective communication especially for EFL learners in this modern age where people have to communicate cross-culturally as English is being used as lingua franca internationally. The study explores the problems faced by EFL learners in comprehending and producing the correct speech acts in English. The study used two data collection tools: a WDCT in which speech acts of refusal and apology are used to find out pragmatic competence level and difficulties faced by Pakistani EFL learners. A Likert Scale questionnaire is used to know about the views and suggestions of the Pakistani EFL learners about the teaching and learning environment regarding the pragmatics. The data of speech acts of refusal is analyzed qualitatively according to the taxonomy of Beebe, keeping in view frequency, shift and content of semantic formulas. While the data of speech acts of apology is analyzed according to the speech act strategies of Cohen. Data collected through the Likert scale questionnaire is analyzed quantitatively. The study finds out that pragmatic competence level of Pakistani EFL learners is very low as well as they have to face many difficulties which result in pragmatic failure.  Findings of the study show that Pakistani EFL learners lack knowledge of pragmatics in the target language. EFL learners acknowledged that pragmatic knowledge is very important for effective communication and it should be an integral part of syllabus and classroom activities.

Means of Realization of the Speech Act of Disagreement on the Material of the Russian and Persian Languages

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 39-43
Author(s):  
Hosein Gholami ◽  
Azade Vafai
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Russian Language ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
Theoretical Knowledge ◽  
Pragmatic Aspects ◽  
The Russian Language

This article is devoted to the analysis of the speech act of disagreement and the ways of its expression in the Russian language. The relevance of this study is due to the increasing role of the study of speech acts of disagreement in the communication process and the necessity and importance of the study of means of implementation. Students studying a foreign language acquire a broad theoretical knowledge of the foreign language, but in practice they face many difficulties. In communication interference occurs. Interference inhibits the assimilation of a foreign language. In order to overcome the interference in learning a second language, it is necessary to pay attention to the pragmatic aspects of the language. This study shows that there are different direct and indirect ways of expressing disagreement.

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