Adult Second Language Learners' Pragmatic Development in the Study-Abroad Context: A Review

Autor/in	Xiao, Feng
Titel	Adult Second Language Learners' Pragmatic Development in the Study-Abroad Context: A Review
Quelle	In: Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 25 (2015), S.132-149 (18 Seiten) PDF als Volltext (1); PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei (2) Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1085-4568
Schlagwörter	Second Language Learning; Study Abroad; Language Usage; Pragmatics; Language Research; Longitudinal Studies; Correlation; Coding; Individual Differences; Speech Acts; Accuracy; Adult Learning; Literature Reviews + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Zweitsprachenerwerb; Studies abroad; Auslandsstudium; Sprachgebrauch; Pragmalinguistik; Sprachforschung; Longitudinal study; Longitudinal method; Longitudinal methods; Längsschnittuntersuchung; Korrelation; Codierung; Programmierung; Individueller Unterschied; Sprechakt; Adulte education; Adult training; Erwachsenenbildung
Abstract	The ability to use language effectively in communication is regarded as important as knowledge of grammatical rules in the communicative competence models. Pragmatic competence, namely the ability to understand and use linguistic forms appropriately according to context, is thus accepted as a vital component of language ability. Recently, pragmatic competence and development have captured growing interest among L2 pragmatics research. Specifically, a series of studies have been conducted in the study abroad (SA) context, because, compared to a domestic classroom setting, the SA context is believed to provide greater opportunities to communicate with native speakers, and these opportunities are assumed to lead to pragmatic gains. Despite the greater contact with conventional pragmatic language use available in the SA context, recent longitudinal studies have shown that different aspects of pragmatic features develop at different rates. For example, Taguchi (2008b) examined Japanese ESL learners' development of pragmatic comprehension over a four-month study abroad. She found that there were significant gains in both accurate and speedy comprehension of pragmatic meaning, but the magnitude of gain in comprehension speed (measured in response time) was larger than the gain in accuracy in comprehension. This article aims to further probe this complex relationship between the SA context and pragmatic development by synthesizing existing research studies under the guidance of two questions: (1) What pragmatic features have been examined in the SA context, and how have they been measured?; and (2) Do adult L2 learners improve their pragmatic competence in the SA context over time? (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Frontiers Journal. Dickinson College P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013. Tel: 717-254-8858; Fax: 717-245-1677; Web site: http://www.frontiersjournal.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01