Proficiency and pragmatic production in L2 Chinese study abroad

Abstract This study examined the relationship between reported amounts of social contact and speech act strategies among 70 learners of Chinese enrolled in a study abroad program in Beijing. The participants completed a computer-delivered spoken discourse completion task (spoken DCT) eliciting three speech acts: requests, refusals, and compliment responses. Speech act strategies were compared between two groups of learners who reported different amounts of social contact (high and low social contact) as assessed via a self-report survey. Results showed that both high and low social contact groups favored using similar strategies to achieve the three speech acts. However, the high social contact group produced speech acts in a more sophisticated way: with a wider variety of request strategies, multiple refusal strategies used in combination and more deflecting strategies in compliment responses, compared with the low social contact group. The findings suggest that social contact helped learners expand their pragmalinguistic repertoire and employ more varied speech act strategies.

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Longitudinal benefits of pre-departure pragmatics instruction for study abroad

East Asian Pragmatics ◽

10.1558/eap.38216 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 87-111

Author(s):

Jiayi Wang ◽

Nicola Halenko

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Study Abroad ◽

Longitudinal Studies ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Perceived Benefits ◽

Pragmatic Development ◽

L2 Chinese ◽

Shed Light ◽

Three Phases

Whilst the study of second language pragmatic development in study abroad (SA) contexts has gained momentum in recent years, research on L2 Chinese pragmatics, in general, remains in its infancy and is therefore limited. Longitudinal studies on the effects of instruction before, during and after SA remain scant. Following a short pre-SA pragmatics intervention on formulaic expressions with a group of UK undergraduate learners of Chinese, qualitative data in three phases (before, during, and after a year abroad in China) were collected and analysed to shed light on the perceived benefits of the treatment. The findings show that in all three phases, learners highly valued the instruction provided, but they seemed to benefit from the sociopragmatic input the most, particularly in the pre-departure stage and after completion of the SA period. The findings will be discussed in relation to the learners' accounts of their SA experiences and the implications for pre-SA instruction.

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Pragmatic development in Chinese speakers’ L2 English refusals

EUROSLA Yearbook ◽

10.1075/eurosla.12.05ren ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

pp. 63-87 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Wei Ren

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Learning Environment ◽

Significant Development ◽

Pragmatic Development ◽

Chinese Speakers ◽

Chinese Study ◽

Environment Study ◽

Refusal Strategies ◽

Academic Year ◽

At Home

This study investigates the effect of learning environment (study abroad vs. at home) on the pragmatic development of Chinese speakers’ L2 English refusals. A total of 20 Chinese Study Abroad (SA) students participated in the study and their L2 refusals were examined over the course of one academic year. These refusals were compared with those of 20 Chinese At Home (AH) students. Data were collected three times by an 8-situation Multimedia Elicitation Task. The results revealed that the SA students’ overall frequency of opt-outs remained consistent throughout a year’s stay in the L2 community but the study abroad experience influenced their choices sociopragmatically. Regarding repertoire of refusal strategies and that of refusal adjuncts, both groups demonstrated significant development, thus indicating no significant benefit of study abroad in these respects. The findings reveal the complexity of L2 pragmatic development and the importance of longitudinal investigations in such research.

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Identity construction and language investment by three tertiary level Chinese study abroad learners in New Zealand

10.26686/wgtn.12654524.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Zhuoxi Cao ◽

Jonathan Newton

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Study Abroad ◽

Identity Construction ◽

Tertiary Level ◽

Chinese Study

No description supplied

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Production of formulaic expressions in L2 Chinese: A developmental investigation in a study abroad context

Chinese as a Second Language Research ◽

10.1515/caslar-2013-0021 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 23-58 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Naoko Taguchi ◽

Shuai Li ◽

Feng Xiao

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Qualitative Analysis ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Intermediate Level ◽

Pretest Score ◽

Point Scale ◽

Planning Time ◽

Speaking Test ◽

American Students ◽

L2 Chinese

AbstractThis study investigated the development of L2 Chinese formulaic competence in a study abroad context. Participants were 31 American students studying Chinese in a university in China (intermediate-level). They completed a computerized speaking test consisting of 24 formulae-use situations twice during their semester-long study abroad in China. The learners produced a formulaic expression according to each situation, and their production was evaluated on appropriateness (rated on a four-point scale by native speakers) and planning time. In addition, a survey was administered to gather information about the learners' perceived frequency of encounter with formulae-use situations. The learners showed significant gains on appropriateness and fluency. Reported frequency of encounter with target formulae-use situations did not correlate with the gains in formulae production, except for the learners with lower pretest score. Qualitative analysis revealed four patterns of change: (1) change toward target formulae, (2) change toward target-like slot-and-frame patterns, (3) change toward non-target formulae; and (4) stabilized non-target formulae use.

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