Cover not available
Introduction published In:
Second language pragmatic development in study abroad contexts
Edited by Ariadna Sánchez-Hernández
[Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education 7:1] 2022
► pp. 2–22
Introduction

Second language pragmatic development in study abroad contexts

An introduction

| Universidad Complutense de Madrid

This special issue illustrates current research on the development of second language (L2) pragmatic competence in study abroad (SA) contexts. In doing so, it accounts for the complexity entailed in learning the linguistic and sociocultural norms of interaction with people of diverse backgrounds while facing the multiple challenges involved in adapting to a new and unknown setting. This introduction to the special issue presents key topics and previous findings that frame such processes of L2 pragmatic development. These include (1) a description of study abroad as a context for L2 pragmatic development, (2) pragmatic targets that students learn during SA, (3) internal and external factors that are likely to play a role in the learning process, and (4) the role of instruction in helping students maximize their stays abroad in terms of pragmatic learning. Finally, an overview of the articles included in this special issue is provided, highlighting how they contribute to the key themes illustrated throughout this introductory section.

Article outline
  • 1.Study abroad as a context for pragmatic development
  • 2.Pragmatic aspects learned in SA programs
  • 3.The role of internal and external factors on L2 pragmatic development in SA
  • 4.The role of instruction on L2 pragmatic learning in SA
  • 5.The contributions in this special issue
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 19 April 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/sar.21035.san
References
Alcón-Soler, E.
(2015) Pragmatic learning and study abroad: Effects of instruction and length of stay. System, 48 1, 62–74. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Alcón-Soler, E., & Sánchez-Hernández, A.
(2017) Learning pragmatic routines during study abroad: A focus on proficiency and type of routine. Atlantis, 39 1, 191–210. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bardovi-Harlig, K., & Bastos, M.
(2011) Proficiency, length of stay, and intensity of interaction, and the acquisition of conventional expressions in L2 pragmatics. Intercultural Pragmatics, 8 1, 347–384. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bardovi-Harlig, K., & Dörnyei, Z.
(1998) Do language learners recognize pragmatic violations? Pragmatic vs. grammatical awareness in instructed L2 learning. TESOL Quarterly, 32 1, 233–259. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Barron, A.
(2003) Acquisition in interlanguage pragmatics. John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2019) Pragmatic development and stay abroad. Journal of Pragmatics, 146 1, 43–53. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bella, S.
(2011) Mitigation and politeness in Greek invitation refusals: Effects of length of residence in the target community and intensity of interaction on non-native speakers’ performance. Journal of Pragmatics, 43 1, 1718–1740. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bouton, L. F.
(1999) Developing nonnative speaker skills in interpreting conversational implicatures in English: Explicit teaching can ease the process. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Culture in second language teaching and learning (pp. 47–70). Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Cohen, A. D., & Shively, R. L.
(2007) Acquisition of requests and apologies in Spanish and French: Impact of study abroad and strategy-building intervention. The Modern Language Journal, 91 1, 189–212. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cook, H.
(2008) Socializing identities through speech style: Learners of Japanese as a foreign language. Multilingual Matters. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Czerwionka, L., & Cuza, A.
(2017) A pragmatic analysis of L2 Spanish requests: Acquisition in three situational contexts during short-term study abroad. Intercultural Pragmatics, 14 1, 391–419. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Davis, J. M.
(2007) Resistance to L2 pragmatics in the Australian ESL context. Language Learning, 57 1, 611–649. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Devlin, A. M.
(2018) Becoming me in the L2: Sociopragmatic development as an index of emerging core identity in a study abroad context. In A. Sánchez-Hernández & A. Herraiz-Martínez (Eds.), Learning second language pragmatics beyond traditional contexts (pp. 255–285). Peter Lang.Google Scholar
(2019) The interaction between duration of study abroad, diversity of loci of learning and sociopragmatic variation patterns: A comparative study. Journal of Pragmatics, 146 1, 121–136. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Diao, W., & Maa, J.
(2019) Language socialization and L2 pragmatics. In Taguchi, N. (Ed.), Routledge handbook of second language acquisition and pragmatics (pp. 128–144). Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dings, A.
(2014) Interactional competence and the development of alignment activity. The Modern Language Journal, 98 1, 742–756. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
DuFon, M. A.
(1999) The acquisition of linguistic politeness in Indonesian by sojourners in naturalistic interactions (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Hawai’i at Monoa.
Eslami, Z., & Ahn, S. J.
(2014) Motivation, amount of interaction, length of residence, and ESL learners’ pragmatic competence. Applied Research on English Language, 3 1, 9–28.Google Scholar
European Commission
(2018) Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Mid-term evaluation of the Erasmus+ programme (2014–2020).Google Scholar
Félix-Brasdefer, J. C.
(2004) Interlanguage refusals: Linguistic politeness and length of residence in the target community. Language Learning, 54 1, 587–653. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2013) Refusing in L2 Spanish: The effects of the context of learning during a shortterm study abroad program. In O. Martí-Arnández & P. Salazar-Campillo (Eds.), Refusals in instructed contexts and beyond (pp. 147–173). Rodopi.Google Scholar
Félix-Brasdefer, J. C., & Hasler-Barker, M.
(2015) Complimenting in Spanish in a short-term study abroad context. System, 48 1, 1–11. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Fraser, B.
(2010) Pragmatic competence: The case of hedging. In G. Kaltenböck, W. Mihatsch, & S. Schneider (Eds.), New approaches to hedging (pp. 15–34). Emerald.Google Scholar
Halenko, N., & Jones, C.
(2011) Teaching pragmatic awareness of spoken requests to Chinese EAP learners in the UK: Is explicit instruction effective? System, 39 1, 240–250. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Halenko, N., Jones, C., Davies, L., & Davies, J.
(2019) Surveying pragmatic performance during a study abroad stay: A cross-sectional look at the language of spoken requests. Intercultural Communication Education, 2 1, 71–87. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hassall, T.
(2013) Pragmatic development during short-term study abroad: The case of address terms in Indonesian. Journal of Pragmatics, 55 1, 1–17. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2015) Influence of fellow L2 learners on pragmatic development during study abroad. Intercultural Pragmatics, 12 1, 415–442. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Henery, A.
(2015) On the development of metapragmatic awareness abroad: Two case studies exploring the role of expert-mediation. Language Awareness, 24 1, 316–331. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hernández, T., & Boero, P.
(2018) Explicit instruction for request strategy development during short-term study abroad. Journal of Spanish Language Teaching, 51 1, 35–49. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Iino, M.
(2006) Norms of interaction in a Japanese homestay setting: Toward a two-way flow of linguistic and cultural resources. In M. A. DuFon & E. Churchill (Eds.), Language learners in study abroad contexts (pp. 151–173). Multilingual Matters. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
International Education Exchange
(2020) Open Doors 2020: Report on international educational exchange. International Education Exchange.Google Scholar
Ishihara, N.
(2010) Maintaining an optimal distance: Nonnative speakers’ pragmatic choice. In A. Mahboob (Ed.), The NNEST lens: Nonnative English speakers in TESOL (Vol. 11, pp. 35–53). Cambridge Scholars.Google Scholar
Kasper, G., & Schmidt, R.
(1996) Developmental issues in interlanguage pragmatics. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 18 1, 149–169. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kinginger, C., & Farrell, K.
(2004) Assessing development of meta-pragmatic awareness in study abroad. Frontiers: Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 10 1, 19–42. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Leech, G.
(1983) Principles of pragmatics. Longman.Google Scholar
Li, S.
(2014) The effects of different levels of linguistic proficiency on the development of L2 Chinese request production during study abroad. System, 45 1, 103–116. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Magliacane, A., & Howard, M.
(2019) The role of learner status in the acquisition of pragmatic markers during study abroad: The use of ‘like’ in L2 English. Journal of Pragmatics, 146 1, 72–86. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Masuda, K.
(2011) Acquiring interactional competence in a study abroad context: Japanese language learners’ use of the interactional particle ne. The Modern Language Journal, 95 1, 519–540. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Matsumura, S.
(2003) Modelling the relationships among interlanguage pragmatic development, L2 proficiency, and exposure to L2. Applied Linguistics, 24 1, 465–491. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Mir, M.
(2020) Teaching and learning about Spanish L2 compliments in short-term study abroad. Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education, 5 1, 230–257. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Morris, K.
(2017) Learning by doing: The affordances of task-based pragmatics instruction for beginning L2 Spanish learners studying abroad (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of California, Davis.
Niezgoda, K., & Roever, C.
(2001) Pragmatic and grammatical awareness: A function of learning environment? In K. Rose & G. Kasper (Eds.), Pragmatics in language teaching (pp. 63–79). Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Osuka, N.
(2014) Development of pragmatic routines by Japanese learners in a study abroad context. In I. Kecskes & S. Assimakopoulos (Eds.), Current issues in intercultural pragmatics (pp. 275–296). John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pérez-Vidal, C., & Shively, R.
(2019) L2 pragmatic development in study abroad settings. In N. Taguchi (Ed.), Routledge handbook of second language acquisition and pragmatics (pp. 355–371). Routledge.Google Scholar
(2015) L2 pragmatic development in study abroad contexts. Peter Lang. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2019) Pragmatic development of Chinese during study abroad: A cross-sectional study of learner requests. Journal of Pragmatics, 146 1, 137–149. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Roever, C.
(2005) Testing ESL Pragmatics: Development and validation of a web-based assessment battery. Peter Lang. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Roever, C., Wang, S., & Brophy, S.
(2014) Learner background factors and learning of second language pragmatics. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 52 1, 377–401. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Safont-Jordà, M. P., & Alcón-Soler, E.
(2018) Mixed method approaches in investigating pragmatic learning (Special issue). System, 75 1.Google Scholar
Sánchez-Hernández, A.
(2018a) Acculturation and pragmatic learning: International students in the US. In C. Pérez-Vidal, S. López-Serrano, J. Ament, & D. Thomas-Wilhelm (Eds.), Learning effects: study abroad, formal instruction and international immerssion classrooms (pp. 283–309). Language Science Press.Google Scholar
(2018b) A mixed methods study of the impact of sociocultural adaptation on the development of pragmatic production. System, 75 1, 93–105. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Sánchez-Hernández, A., & Alcón-Soler, E.
(2019a) Pragmatic gains in the study abroad context: Learners’ experiences and recognition of pragmatic routines. Journal of Pragmatics, 146 1, 54–71. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2019b) The role of individual differences on recognition and production of pragmatic routines. In P. Salazar, & V. Codina (Eds.), Investigating the learning of pragmatics across ages and contexts (pp. 141–164). Brill.Google Scholar
Schauer, G. A.
(2006) Pragmatic awareness in ESL and EFL contexts: Contrast and development. Language Learning, 56 1, 269–318. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2009) Interlanguage pragmatic development: The study abroad context. Continuum.Google Scholar
Sell, F., Renkwitz, K., Sickinger, P., & Schneider, K. P.
(2019) Measuring pragmatic competence on the functional and lexical level: The development of German high-school students’ requests during a stay abroad in Canada. Journal of Pragmatics, 146 1, 106–120. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Shively, R. L.
(2010) From the virtual world to the real world: A model of pragmatics instruction for study abroad. Foreign Language Annals, 43 1, 105–137. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2011) L2 pragmatic development in study abroad: A longitudinal study of Spanish service encounters. Journal of Pragmatics, 43 1, 1818–1835. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2013) Learning to be funny in Spanish during study abroad: L2 humor development. The Modern Language Journal, 97 1, 930–946. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2015) Developing interactional competence during study abroad: Listener responses in L2 Spanish. System, 48 1, 86–98. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Siegal, M.
(1996) The role of learner subjectivity in second language sociolinguistic competency: Western women learning Japanese. Applied Linguistics, 17 1, 356–382. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Taguchi, N.
(2008) Cognition, language contact, and the development of pragmatic comprehension in a study-abroad context. Language Learning, 58 1, 33–71. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2011a) The effect of L2 proficiency and study-abroad experience in pragmatic comprehension. Language Learning, 61 1, 904–939. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2011b) Do proficiency and study-abroad experience affect speech act production? Analysis of appropriateness, accuracy, and fluency. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 49 1, 265–293. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2012) Context, individual differences, and pragmatic competence. Multilingual Matters. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2013) Production of routines in L2 English: Effect of proficiency and study-abroad experience. System, 41 1, 109–121. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2014a) Cross-cultural adaptability and development of speech act production in study abroad. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2 1, 1–23.Google Scholar
(2014b) Personality and development of second language pragmatic competence. Asian EFL Journal, 16 1, 203–221.Google Scholar
(2015a) “Contextually” speaking: A survey of pragmatic learning abroad, in class, and online. System, 48 1, 3–20. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2015b) Developing interactional competence in a Japanese study abroad context. Multilingual Matters. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2018) Contexts and pragmatics learning: Problems and opportunities of the study abroad research. Language Teaching, 51 1, 124–137. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2019) Second language acquisition and pragmatics: An overview. In N. Taguchi (Ed.), Routledge handbook of second language acquisition and pragmatics (pp. 1–13). Routledge.Google Scholar
Taguchi, N., Xiao, F., & Li, S.
(2016) Effects of intercultural competence and social contact on speech act production in a Chinese study abroad context. The Modern Language Journal, 100 1, 775–796. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Vilar-Beltrán, E.
(2014) Length of stay abroad: Effects of time on the speech act of requesting. International Journal of English Studies, 14 1, 79–96. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Winke, P., & Teng, C.
(2010) Using task-based pragmatics tutorials while studying abroad in China. Intercultural Pragmatics, 7 1, 363–399. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Xiong, W.
(2015) The pragmatic competence of Chinese L2 learners of different L1s. Researching and Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, 1 1, 51–74. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Yang, H., & Ren, W.
(2019) Pragmatic awareness and second language learning motivation. Pragmatics and cognition, 26 1, 447–473. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Yang, L., & Ke, C.
(2021) Proficiency and pragmatic production in L2 Chinese study abroad. System, 98 1. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Young, R. F.
(2019) Interactional competence and L2 pragmatics. In N. Taguchi (Ed.), Routledge handbook of second language acquisition and pragmatics (pp. 93–110). Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar