Investigating pragmatics in CLIL through students’ requests
The study compares how three groups of learners at different educational levels in CLIL, post-CLIL and EFL classes modify their requests which were elicited by means of a written discourse completion task with two situations (different power relations). Data analysis is based on earlier request taxonomies (Alcón-Soler et al. 2005; Blum-Kulka et al. 1989), but the study also introduces new pragmatic features that appeared in the learners’ data. Qualitative and quantitative differences point to a duality in how learners use softening and aggravating request modifications, attributed to insufficient sociopragmatic knowledge. Among other finer results, the study shows that CLIL, as an educational approach, does not necessarily contribute to enhancing learners’ pragmatic competence if seen through the lens of making requests.
Article outline
- Introduction
- Interlanguage pragmatics in CLIL
- A study of requests by CLIL and non-CLIL students
- Softening external modifiers
-
Softening internal modifiers
- Softening strategies
- Marked please and aggravating external modifiers
- Aggravating internal modifiers
- Aggravating strategies
- Imperatives, obligation-statements and HA-SOA/P
- Action-ceasing verbs
- Discussion and concluding remarks
-
Note
-
References
-
Appendix
References (34)
Ackerl, C.
(
2007)
Lexico-grammar in the essays of CLIL and non-CLIL students: Error analysis of written production.
VIEWZ Vienna English Working Papers, 16(3), 6–11.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Alcón-Soler, E., Safont-Jordá, M.P., & Martínez-Flor, A.
(
2005)
Towards a typology of modifiers for the speech act of requesting: A sociopragmatic approach.
Revista Electronica de Lingüistica Aplicada, 4, 1–35.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bardovi-Harlig, K.
(
2001)
Evaluating the empirical evidence: Grounds for instruction in pragmatics? In
K. Rose, &
G. Kasper (Eds.),
Pragmatics in language teaching (pp. 13–32). Cambridge: CUP.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bialystok, E.
(
1983)
Some factors in the selection and implementation of communication strategies. In
C. Færch &
G. Kasper (Eds.),
Strategies in interlanguage communication (pp. 100–118). London: Longman.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Blum-Kulka, S., House, J., & Kasper, G.
(
1989)
Cross-cultural pragmatics: Requests and apologies. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Council of Europe
(
2001)
The Common European Framework of Reference: CEFR. Available at
[URL]
Dalton-Puffer, C., & Nikula, T.
(
2006)
Pragmatics of content-based instruction: Teacher and student directives in Finnish and Austrian classrooms.
Applied Linguistics, 27(2), 241–267.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Dalton-Puffer, C., Nikula, T., & Smit, U.
(Eds.) (
2010)
Language use in Content-and-Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Economidou-Kogetsidis, M.
(
2008)
Internal and external mitigation in interlanguage request production: The case of Greek learners of English.
Journal of Politeness Research: Language, Behaviour, Culture, 4(1), 111–138.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Hutchinson, T., & Waters, A.
(
1987)
English for specific purposes: A learning-centered approach. Cambridge: CUP.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Jiménez Catalán, R.M., & Ruiz de Zarobe, Y.
(
2007,
March).
Does the type of instruction have any bearing on EFL learners’ receptive vocabulary? Paper presented at the ELIA 10 Conference. Issues in Teaching, Learning, and Using Vocabulary in an L2. University of Seville, Spain.
Jiménez Catalán, R.M., Ruiz de Zarobe, Y., & Cenoz, J.
(
2006)
Vocabulary profiles of English Foreign Language Learners in English as a Subject and as a Vehicular Language.
VIEWZ Vienna English Working Papers, 15(3), 23–27.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kasper, G.
(
1997)
Can pragmatic competence be taught? (NetWork #6). Honolulu HI: University of Hawaii, Second Language Teaching & Curriculum Center. Available at
[URL]
Kasper, G., & Dahl, M.
(
1991)
Research methods in interlanguage pragmatics.
Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 18(21), 49–69.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Koike, D. A., & Pearson, L.
(
2005)
The effect of instruction and feedback in the development of pragmatic competence.
System, 33, 481–501.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Llinares, A., & Pastrana, A.
(
2013)
CLIL students’ communicative functions across activities and educational levels.
Journal of Pragmatics, 59, 81–92.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Lorenzo, F., Casal, S., & Moore, P.
(
2010)
The effects of content and language integrated learning in European education: Key findings from the Andalusian bilingual sections evaluation project.
Applied Linguistics, 31(3), 418–442.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Maillat, D.
(
2010)
The pragmatics of L2 in CLIL. In
C. Dalton-Puffer,
T. Nikula, &
U. Smit (Eds.),
Language use and language learning in CLIL classrooms (pp. 39–58). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Martí-Arnándiz, O.
(
2008)
Grammatical and pragmatic competence in EFL contexts. In
E. Alcón-Soler (Ed.),
Learning how to request in an instructed language learning context. Frankfurt: Peter Lang.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Martínez-Flor, A.
(
2009)
The use and function of “please” in learners’ oral requestive behavior: A pragmatic analysis.
Journal of English Studies 7, 35–54.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Martínez-Flor, A., & Usó-Juan, E.
(
2006)
Learners’ use of request modifiers across two University ESP disciplines.
IBÉRICA, 12, 23–41
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Nashaat-Sobhy, N.
(
2014)
Assessing students’ interlanguage pragmatic competence through their use of modifiers and strategies in requests. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Nashaat-Sobhy, N., & Llinares, A.
(
2014,
April).
From classroom research to research design. Paper presented at the 19th International Conference on Pragmatics and Language Learning. Indiana University, Bloomington.
Nikula, T.
(
2005)
English as an object and tool of study in classrooms: Interactional effects and pragmatic implications.
Linguistics and Education, 16(1), 27–58.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Nikula, T.
(
2008)
Learning pragmatics in content-based classrooms. In
E. Alcón Soler &
A. Martínez-Flor (Eds.),
Investigating pragmatics in foreign language learning, teaching and testing (pp. 94–113). Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Ruiz de Zarobe, Y.
(
2008)
CLIL and Foreign Language Learning: A Longitudinal Study in the Basque Country.
International CLIL Research Journal, 1(1). Available at
[URL]
Ruiz de Zarobe, Y.
(
2011)
Which language competencies benefit from CLIL? An insight into applied linguistics research. In
Y. Ruiz de Zarobe,
J.M. Sierra, &
F. Gallardo del Puerto (Eds.),
Content and foreign language integrated learning: Contributions to multilingualism in European contexts (pp. 129–154). Frankfurt: Peter Lang.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Salazar Campillo, P.
(
2007)
Examining mitigation in requests: a focus on transcripts in ELT coursebooks. In
E. Alcón Soler, &
M.P. Safont Jordà (Eds.),
Intercultural language use and language learning (pp. 207–222). Dordrecht: Springer.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Sasaki, M.
(
1998)
Investigating EFL students’ production of speech acts: A comparison of production questionnaires and role plays.
Journal of Pragmatics, 30(4), 457–484.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Sato, S.
(
2008)
Use of “Please” in American and New Zealand English.
Journal of Pragmatics, 40(7), 1249–1278.
Sciences, 33, 786–798.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Sifianou, M.
(
1999)
Politeness phenomena in England and Greece: A cross-cultural perspective. Oxford: OUP.
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Trosborg, A.
(
1995)
Interlanguage pragmatics: Requests, complaints, and apologies. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Wichmann, A.
(
2004)
The intonation of please-requests: A corpus-based study.
Journal of Pragmatics, 36(9), 1521–1549.
![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cited by (1)
Cited by 1 other publications
Nashaat Sobhy, Nashwa
2018.
Pragmatics in CLIL.
Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics 31:2
► pp. 467 ff.
![DOI logo](//benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 15 july 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.