Cover not available
Article published In:
International Journal of Language and Culture
Vol. 8:2 (2021) ► pp.245–266

How Saudi migrants’ metapragmatic judgments of Arabic L1 nonverbal greetings change after intense and prolonged exposure to English

 | King Khalid University
 | Birkbeck, University of London
This study investigates the impact of spending more than three years in an English environment on Saudi migrants’ metapragmatic judgments of Arabic L1 nonverbal greetings and their personality traits. Participants are 437 adults comprising three groups: Saudi L2 speakers of English in the UK, Saudis in Saudi Arabia, and British L1 speakers of English in the UK. They observed and rated an audiovisual stimulus illustrating Saudi L1 nonverbal greeting behaviours of handshake and cheek-to-cheek kiss. Statistical analyses revealed that appropriateness ratings by Saudi migrants in the UK diverged from those by Saudis in Saudi Arabia and approximated those of English L1 users in the UK. Moreover, appropriateness ratings by Saudi migrants were differently associated with personality profiles, which differed for three traits between the two Saudi groups. These findings suggest change in L1 metapragmatic judgements as well as personality as a result of prolonged and intense exposure to an L2. The results are interpreted in the light of Cook’s (2012) concept of multicompetence.
Keywords: metapragmatic awareness, nonverbal greetings, personality, Arabic, English
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Transfer
    • 2.2L2 influence on L1 pragmatic competence
    • 2.3Metapragmatic awareness
    • 2.4Cultural variations in nonverbal greetings
    • 2.5Personality
  • 3.Research questions
  • 4.Methods
    • 4.1Quantitative data
      • 4.1.1Participants
      • 4.1.1Instrument
      • 4.1.3Quantitative data collection and analysis
    • 4.2Qualitative data
  • 5.Results
    • 5.1Quantitative analyses
    • 5.2Qualitative analysis
  • 6.Discussion
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 23 June 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ijolc.21013.als
References (50)
References
Adamson, H. D. (1988). Variation theory and second language acquisition. Georgetown University Press.Google Scholar
Bardovi-Harlig, K., & Dörnyei, Z. (1998). Do language learners recognize pragmatic violations? Pragmatic versus grammatical awareness in instructed L2 learning. Tesol Quarterly, 32(2), 233–259. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Barro, A., Byram, M., Grimm, H., Morgan, C., Roberts, C., & Valley, T. (1993). Cultural studies for advanced language learners. In: D. Graddol, L. Thomson, M. Byram (Eds.), Language and culture (pp. 55–70). Clevedon: BAAL and Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar
Basow, S. A., & Gaugler, T. (2017). Predicting adjustment of U.S. college students studying abroad: Beyond the multicultural personality. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 561, 39–51. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Blum-Kulka, S. (1990). You don’t touch lettuce with your fingers: Parental politeness in family discourse. Journal of Pragmatics, 14(2), 259–288. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cao, M. (2016). Backward pragmatic transfer: An empirical study on compliment responses among Chinese EFL Learners. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 6(9), 1846–1854. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cenoz, J. (2003). The intercultural style hypothesis: L1 and L2 interaction in requesting behaviour. In: V. J. Cook (ed.), Effects of the second language on the first (pp. 62–80). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Chen, H. J. (1995). Metapragmatic judgement on refusals: Its reliability and consistency. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
Cook, V. J. (2002). Portraits of the L2 user. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2003). Effects of the second language on the first. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2012). Multi-competence. In: C. Chapelle (ed.), The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (pp. 3768–3774). New York: Wiley-Blackwell.Google Scholar
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). London: Sage Publications Ltd.Google Scholar
Dewaele, J.-M. (2016). Brussels-London: Crossing channels while juggling with social and cultural capital. In Zhu Hua, A. Komisarof (Eds.), Crossing boundaries and weaving intercultural work, life, and scholarship in globalizing universities (pp. 133–146). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
(2018). Pragmatic challenges in the communication of emotions in intercultural couples. Intercultural Pragmatics, 15(1), 29–55. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dewaele, J.-M., & Botes, E. (2020). Does multilingualism shape personality? An exploratory investigation. International Journal of Bilingualism, 24(4). 811–823. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dewaele, J.-M., & Salomidou, L. (2017). Loving a partner in a foreign language. Journal of Pragmatics, 1081, 116–130. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
DuFon, M. A. (1999). The acquisition of linguistic politeness in Indonesian as a second language by sojourners in naturalistic interactions. Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Hawai ‘i at Manoa.Google Scholar
Eisenstein Ebsworth, M., Bodman, J., & Carpenter, M. (1995). Cross-cultural realization of greetings in American English. Speech acts across cultures: Challenges to communication in a second language, 89–108.Google Scholar
Feghali, E. (1997). Arab cultural communication patterns. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 21(3), 345–378. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Grosjean, F. (1989). Neurolinguists, beware! The bilingual is not two monolinguals in one person. Brain and Language, 36(1), 3–15. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hall, E. T. (1966). The hidden dimension. New York: Doubleday.Google Scholar
Hassanain, K. S. (1994). Saudi mode of greeting rituals: Their implications for teaching and learning English. IRAL: International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 32(1), 68–77.Google Scholar
Jarvis, S., & Pavlenko, A. (2008). Cross-linguistic influence in language and cognition. London: Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kasper, G. (1992). Pragmatic transfer. Second Language Research, 8(3), 203–231.Google Scholar
(2001). Four perspectives on L2 pragmatic development. Applied Linguistics, 22(4), 502–530. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kecskes, I. (2015). How does pragmatic competence develop in bilinguals? International Journal of Multilingualism, 12(4), 419–434. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kim, Y. Y. (2001). Becoming intercultural: An integrative theory of communication and cross-cultural adaptation. London: Sage.Google Scholar
(2008). Intercultural personhood: Globalization and a way of being. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 32 (4), 359–368. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Korzilius, H., Van Hooft, A., Planken, B., & Hendrix, C. (2011). Birds of different feathers? The relationship between multicultural personality dimensions and foreign language mastery in business professionals working in a Dutch agricultural multinational. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 351, 540–553. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kramsch, C. (2009). Third culture and language education. In V. J. Cook, L. Wei (Eds.), Contemporary Applied Linguistics. Vol. 1 Language teaching and learning (pp. 233–254). London: Continuum.Google Scholar
Matsumoto, D. E., Hwang, H. C., & Frank, M. G. (2016). APA handbook of nonverbal communication. American Psychological Association. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
McConachy, T. (2013). A place for pragmatics in intercultural teaching and learning. In: F. Dervin, A. Liddicoat (Eds.), Linguistics for intercultural education (pp. 71–85). Amsterdam: John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2018). Developing intercultural perspectives on language use: Exploring pragmatics and culture in foreign language learning. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar
McDaniel, E., & Andersen, P. A. (1998). International patterns of interpersonal tactile communication: A field study. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 22(1), 59–75. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Mori, K. (1997). Polite lies: On being a woman caught between cultures. New York: Henry Holt & Co.Google Scholar
Paradis, M. (2007). L1 attrition features predicted by a neurolinguistic theory of bilingualism. In: B. Köpke, M. S. Schmid, M. Keijzer, & S. Dostert (Eds.), Language attrition: Theoretical perspectives (121–133). Amsterdam-Philadelphia: John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pavlenko, A. (2000). L2 influence on L1 in late bilingualism. Issues in Applied Linguistics, 11(2), 175–205. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pavlenko, A., & Jarvis, S. (2002). Bidirectional transfer. Applied linguistics, 23(2), 190–214. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Sadighi, F., Chahardahcherik, S., Delfariyan, M., & Feyzbar, F. (2018). The influence of L2 English acquisition of the request speech act on Persian preschool children. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 6(4), 25–34. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Silverstein, M. (1993). Metapragmatic discourse and metapragmatic function. In J. A. Lucy (Ed.), Reflexive language: Reported speech and metapragmatics (pp. 33–58). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Song, S. C., Eslami, Z. R., & Galindo, K. B. (2018). Public apologies and intercultural communication: Perceptions of Chinese and American students. Intercultural Communication Education, 1(1), 27–44. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Taguchi, N. (2014). Personality and development of second language pragmatic competence. Asian EFL Journal, 16(2), 203–211.Google Scholar
Taguchi, N., & Roever, C. (2017). Second language pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Tavakoli, M., & Shirinbakhsh, S. (2013). Backward pragmatic transfer: The case of refusals in Persian. International Journal of Society, Culture & Language, 2(1), 1–24.Google Scholar
Thomas, J. 1983. Cross-cultural pragmatic failure. Applied Linguistics, 4(2), 91–112. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Valdes, G., Pino, C. (1981). Muy a tus ordenes: Compliment responses among Mexican-American bilinguals. Language in Society, 101, 53–72. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
van der Zee, K., van Oudenhoven, J. P., Ponterotto, J. G., & Fietzer, A. W. (2013). Multicultural Personality Questionnaire: Development of a short form. Journal of personality assessment, 95(1), 118–124. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Verhoeven, L., & Vermeer, A. (2002). Communicative competence and personality dimensions in first and second language learners. Applied Psycholinguistics, 23(3), 361–374. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Watson, O. (1970). Proxemic behavior: A cross-cultural study. The Hague, the Netherlands: Mouton. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Wilson, J., Ward, C., & Fischer, R. (2013). Beyond culture learning theory: What can personality tell us about cultural competence? Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 44(6), 900–927. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cited by (1)

Cited by one other publication

Anderson, Karoline Anita
2023. Nonverbal communication as a mediator of intercultural communication in English as a second language classrooms. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development ► pp. 1 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 12 september 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.