scholarly journals Pragmatic competence in English at the VG1 level: To what extent are Norwegian EFL students able to adapt to contextual demands when making requests in English?

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silje Brubæk
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Language Choice ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Pragmatic Development ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Strong Focus ◽  
Completion Test ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
The Subject

The present article presents an investigation of Norwegian students of English as a foreign language (EFL) and their pragmatic competence in English. The importance of developing such a competence receives a strong focus in the English subject curriculum. However, very few studies have been conducted in the field of pragmatics in Norway, and even fewer Norwegian studies have focused on students’ pragmatic competence in a second language. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate whether Norwegian EFL students would be familiar with and show awareness of English politeness norms and pragmatic conventions when having to communicate in English. Would they be able to adapt their language, choice of strategy and level of formality to the contextual demands when making requests in the second language (L2)? Forty students answered a simplified version of a discourse completion test (DCT) consisting of four different situations in which the students had to make requests. The results, which were analysed by means of Brown and Levinson’s theory of face threatening acts, indicated that most of the students were at one of the beginning stages of English pragmatic development. Their language use was characterized by first language (L1) transfer and overuse of familiar and informal expressions. When faced with more formal and demanding situations, they fell short and clearly lacked the knowledge and competence that would allow them to communicate successfully. It can be argued that these findings might indicate a lack of focus in Norwegian schools when it comes to developing students’ pragmatic competence. If this is true, an important part of the subject curriculum is being neglected.

Second language data and constraints on Manner: explaining substitutions for the English interdentals

2003 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Lombardi
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Optimality Theory ◽  
First Language ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Language Data

Substitutions for English interdentals tend to be consistent based on first language (L1): eg. [t] for speakers of Russian, [s] for speakers of Japanese. While the facts suggest that some type of L1 transfer must be involved, a rule affecting a sound that does not occur in L1 is unlearnable. Optimality Theory (OT) allows a solution to this conundrum because the grammars contain independently necessary constraint rankings that also have an effect on the interdentals. [t] substitution results from high ranked markedness. This can be seen as an effect of universals because this grammar retains the original ranking that the L1 learners begins with. [s] substitution results from high ranked Faithfulness. In this case, some L1 phonology has forced reranking, making this an effect of L1 transfer.

Interplay between perceived cross-linguistic similarity and L2 production

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgios Georgiou
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Production Test ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Egyptian Arabic ◽  
Speech Learning Model ◽  
L2 Production ◽  
Partial Overlap ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Speech Learning

Abstract The present study aims to investigate the relationship between perceived cross-linguistic similarity and second language (L2) production. To this purpose, Egyptian Arabic learners of Greek in Cyprus who took part in a previous cross-linguistic perceptual study, completed a production test with respect to the Cypriot Greek vowels. The findings showed that perceived cross-linguistic similarity was linked with L2 production since along with the consideration of first language (L1)-L2 acoustic differences, it predicted most of the L2 vowel productions. Also, many L2 vowels were considerably longer than the corresponding L1 vowels. This can be interpreted as an L1 transfer since Egyptian Arabic vowels are longer in duration than the Cypriot Greek vowels. An interesting finding was that the production of the L2 vowels had only partial overlap with the productions of the L1 vowels, a finding that provides support for the hypotheses of the Speech Learning Model.

The Development of Pragmatic Competence

1996 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 103-120
Author(s):  
Gabriele Kasper
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Interlanguage Pragmatics ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Pragmatic Development ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Research Findings

Unlike other areas of second language study, which are primarily concerned with acquisitional patterns of interlanguage knowledge over time, most studies in inter-language pragmatics have focused on second language use rather than second language learning. The aim of this talk is to profile interlanguage pragmatics as an area of inquiry in second language acquisition research, by reviewing existing studies with a focus on learning, examining research findings in interlanguage pragmatics that shed light on some basic questions in SLA, exploring cognitive and social-psychological theories that might offer explanations of different aspeas of pragmatic development, and proposing a research agenda for the study of interlanguage pragmatics with a developmental perspective that will tie it more closely to other areas of SLA.

Child L2 English acquisition of subject properties in an immersion bilingual context

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabet Pladevall Ballester
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
First Language ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Old Spanish ◽  
Developmental Effects ◽  
The Subject

Although thoroughly analysed in adult second language acquisition (L2A), the acquisition of subject properties in child L2A has not received so much attention and the majority of studies deal with longitudinal data or only with a single subject property. This study contributes new cross-sectional data from 5-year-old Spanish children acquiring second language (L2) English in an immersion bilingual context with age of onset three and analyses the acquisition of all the subject properties traditionally associated as a cluster in comparison to a monolingual control group of the same age. The data were obtained by means of an orally elicited judgement/correction experimental task and enabled us to explore the children’s awareness of grammaticality contrasts in their L2, the influence of their L1 after two years of exposure and the extent to which the cluster of subject properties traditionally associated and studied together develop similarly in acquisitional terms. Results suggest that 5-year-old children show sensitivity to grammaticality contrasts in their L2 English and indicate that even after two years of exposure and although the age of onset of acquisition was only three, their L2 is influenced by their first language (L1) subject properties, although developmental effects also need to be taken into account when explaining the results.

Introduction to L2 attrition

2019 ◽  
pp. 329-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teodora H. Mehotcheva ◽  
Barbara Köpke
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
First Language ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Short Overview ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
The Subject

As the introduction to the section on second language (L2) attrition, this chapter provides a broad presentation to research on attrition of L2 and foreign languages (FL). We will first discuss the terminology used in the field, focusing on some important differences in the terminology used in first language (L1) attrition studies. It provides a short overview of the development of the field, outlining major challenges and obstacles that research on the topic has to deal with. Next, it briefly describes the major findings and knowledge amassed on the subject before reviewing in more detail the findings of some of the most significant and large-scale projects carried out on L2/FL attrition. A final presentation of several theoretical frameworks of interest for L2/FL attrition research will allow us to show how L2/FL attrition is commonly explained but also to provide some ideas for future research directions.

Constraining second language word order optionality: scrambling in advanced English-German and Japanese-German interlanguage

2005 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holger Hopp
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
First Language ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Transfer Effects ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Remnant Movement ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
Japanese Learners

This study documents knowledge of UG-mediated aspects of optionality in word order in the second language (L2) German of advanced English and Japanese speakers ( n = 39). A bimodal grammaticality judgement task, which controlled for context and intonation, was administered to probe judgements on a set of scrambling, topicalization and remnant movement constructions. Given first language (L1) differences and Poverty of the Stimulus, English and Japanese learners face distinct learnability challenges. Assuming Minimalist grammatical architecture (Chomsky, 1995), convergence on the target language would entail the unimpaired availability of Universal Grammar (UG), i.e., computational principles and functional features beyond their L1 instantiation. Irrespective of L1, the L2 groups are found to establish systematic native-like relative distinctions. In addition, L1 transfer effects are attested for judgements on scrambling. It is argued that these findings imply that interlanguage grammars are fully UG constrained, whilst initially informed by L1 properties.

scholarly journals Chinese EFL Learners’ Cross-cultural Pragmatic Competence: The Appropriateness of Request

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 20-41
Author(s):  
Joyce Yeboah
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Chinese Learners ◽  
Completion Test ◽  
Request Strategies ◽  
Analyse Data

The speech act of requesting has attracted a lot of attention in recent research.  Previous studies reveal that conventionally indirect request strategies are commonly used by second language (L2) learners. This study is relevant because the findings would improve the requests strategies and its responses between Chinese EFL learners and foreigners. The study also examines the role of cross-cultural pragmatic competence in Chinese students in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) by considering the appropriateness of requests. It aims to find out the effects of knowledge of L1 culture on L2 pragmatic competence and how requests and its responses would contribute to pragmatic failure. The researcher used both quantitative and qualitative approach to analyse data. The data were collected through a discourse completion test (DCT) from 72 undergraduates and postgraduate students. The modified DCT was composed of two parts. The first was mainly concerned with the demographic information of the participants and second was composed of 12 simulated situations eliciting the appropriateness of requests in various communication settings.  The findings of present study revealed that Chinese learners do not differ markedly from native speakers in their use of strategies, but do differ significantly in the formulaic expressions they employ for making the requests. Unclear request strategies and responses were identified as contributing factors to pragmatic failures. However, the study recommended that instructors should engage learners of English as a second language in a lot of appropriate request strategies to build learners’ competence and ability to understand situations in different environments.

scholarly journals AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ERRORS IN TRANSFORMING ACTIVE TO PASSIVE SENTENCE

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-60
Author(s):  
Lina Septianasari
Keyword(s):  
First Language ◽  
Private University ◽  
Passive Voice ◽  
English Grammar ◽  
Grammatical Errors ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Passive Sentence ◽  
English Students ◽  
Made In

Passive voice is one of the important English grammar that should be mastered because it is used at formal and informal communication. The EFL students tend to produce grammatical errors in transforming active to the passive sentence because of syntactical interference of their first language. The objectives of this research are to know the types of errors that students made in transforming active to passive sentences, to know the students' problems in transforming active to passive sentences and to know the proportion of the students' errors. The subject of this research is 20 English students at one private university in Lampung. The result of this research shows that the total number of errors that had been committed by the students based on surface strategy taxonomy is 280 errors, which falls into the following proportion of the four kinds of errors in surface strategy taxonomy: 126 errors of omission error, 18 errors of addition error, 120 errors of misformation error, and 16 errors of misordering error.

scholarly journals Realisation of the Speech Act of Request, Suggestion and Apology by Libyan EFL Learners

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 215824402110503
Author(s):  
Abudalslam Alfghe ◽  
Behbood Mohammadzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Linguistic Competence ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Completion Test ◽  
Efl Students

This study investigates the three speech act strategies of request, suggestion and apology in Libyan Arab EFL undergraduate students (AREFLUS) and Amazigh EFL undergraduate students (AMEFLUS). It also examines their linguistic and pragmatic competence in these strategies. Two Libyan universities (Sebha and Zwara) are selected for the study, which includes 50 AREFLUS and 37 AMEFLUS participants. To investigate the students’ socio-pragmatic and pragma linguistic competence, two instruments are used: a questionnaire in the form of a Discourse Completion Test (DCT) and a rating scale. The results reveal numerous similarities between the Libyan Arab and Amazigh participants in performing all the speech act strategies of request, suggest and apology. However, some significant differences regarding gender are found among Libyan EFL students. Overall, both groups appear to be more competent in functioning than in structuring the three mentioned speech act strategies.

scholarly journals A Study on English Collocation Errors of Thai EFL Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 164
Author(s):  
Thidakul Boonraksa ◽  
Suparvadee Naisena
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Business English ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
High Level

Collocation is an often-neglected language form that foreign language teachers and students should focus on to achieve competence in a target language. In this research, the researchers studied purposely to facilitate both second language teachers and students to produce correct and appropriate collocations. The purposes of this research were 1) to study the collocation error levels of Bachelor of Arts English and Business English students studying at Northern Rajabhat University, 2) to study the relationship between first language (L1) and second language (L2) transfer collocation errors in students’ writing, and 3) to compare the collocation errors between high-proficiency students, medium- proficiency students and low-proficiency students. The research sample included 285 Thai EFL students enrolled in second-year English and Business English programs at Northern Rajabhat University during the first semester of the academic year 2021. The research instrument was a collocation proficiency test with 54 questions, which was divided into 2 sections: 1) 36 questions with 4 multiple-choice tests, and 2) 18 Thai to English translation questions. The items were chosen from the Oxford 3000™, and were common vocabulary appearing in various contexts. Research data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, t-test (Dependent), and Friedman test. The research found that 1) the level of Grammatical Collocation errors of high-proficiency EFL students was at a moderate level, medium-proficiency and low-proficiency EFL students were at a high level, and for Lexical Collocation errors, all three groups of students were at a high level; 2) the EFL students’collocation errors were caused by the language transfer from their first language (L1) to their second language (L2), synonyms, and lack of collocation competency; and 3) the most Lexical Collocation errors found in all student groups were Adverb + Adjective. For Grammatical Collocation, all groups could use Verb + Preposition better than Noun + Preposition, and the high proficiency and medium proficiency students could perform Adjective + Preposition the least, whilst the low proficiency students were better at Adjective + Preposition.  

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