Farooq AlTameemy; Shadi Majed AlShraah; Alya Alshammari
Abstract
This study addresses the gap in research on the interlanguage pragmatic knowledge of Saudi English learners across two proficiency levels. Recognizing the lack of understanding of interlanguage characteristics within the Saudi context, the research conducts a comprehensive examination of interlanguage ...
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This study addresses the gap in research on the interlanguage pragmatic knowledge of Saudi English learners across two proficiency levels. Recognizing the lack of understanding of interlanguage characteristics within the Saudi context, the research conducts a comprehensive examination of interlanguage pragmatic competence in High Achievers students (HAs) and Low Achievers students (LAs). Using a Discourse Completion Task (DCT) that incorporates essential social variables such as power (P) and distance (D), the study aims to elicit supportive moves in request utterances. Findings indicated that HA students significantly employed a wider variety of linguistic patterns in mitigated request utterances in comparison to LAs. HAs demonstrated awareness of both social power and distance in realizing and producing speech acts, while LAs exhibited less consciousness of social variables influencing external modifications. The study further emphasizes the substantial impact of language proficiency on the use of supportive moves among Saudi EFL learners.
Shadi Majed AlShraah; Haliza Harun; Aa-ieshah Abrahams Kariem
Abstract
The previous three decades have seen a growing body of research into interlanguage pragmatics (ILP), language proficiency, and their effects on pragmatic competence. One of the most important independent aspects in the field of ILP development is language ability. This study which involved 98 Saudi learners, ...
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The previous three decades have seen a growing body of research into interlanguage pragmatics (ILP), language proficiency, and their effects on pragmatic competence. One of the most important independent aspects in the field of ILP development is language ability. This study which involved 98 Saudi learners, was conducted to determine whether there was a relationship between language proficiency and pragmatic production and realization. This study depended basically on the Cross-Cultural Speech Act Realization Pattern and politeness theory to analyze the gathered data using a Discourse Completion Task. Findings showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the Directness Level according to the variable of proficiency between the two groups. However, there were statistically significant differences in Conventionally Indirect in producing request acts. Regarding Non-Conventionally Indirect, only the high achiever group employed this strategy. Furthermore, results indicated that language proficiency had a significant influence on Saudi EFL learners’ production and comprehension of the request act.
Yong Lang; Lian Wang; Caihong Xie; Wencui Chen
Volume 3, Issue 1 , March 2015, , Pages 28-46
Abstract
This study explores the use of the English locution I love you in the American context. The data were collected through a focus discussion group and a survey questionnaire. 120 college undergraduate students from a large public American university participated in the study with 28 attending the focus ...
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This study explores the use of the English locution I love you in the American context. The data were collected through a focus discussion group and a survey questionnaire. 120 college undergraduate students from a large public American university participated in the study with 28 attending the focus discussion group and 92 completing the survey questionnaire. The findings indicated that the use of I love you is a daily phenomenon. It can be used across a variety of different relationships, in a variety of different modes, during a variety of different occasions, and with a variety of different meanings. The theoretical justification and explanation for Americans’ high frequent and varied use of I love you were tentatively probed. The results from this study delineated a preliminary ethnography of how I love you is used in the American context, which can help EFL teachers and learners understand it more thoroughly, translate it more accurately, and use it more appropriately.