“It’s always different when you look something from the inside”

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Louise Brunner ◽  
Stefan Diemer ◽  
Selina Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
L1 Influence

The article discusses linguistic creativity in informal Skype conversations between university students from eight different European countries. The basis for the study is the Corpus of Academic Spoken English (CASE), a corpus of Skype conversations in an English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) context. With the help of qualitative examples, the article examines innovative language use and proposes a taxonomy for functionally accepted innovations, distinguishing instances of L1 influence, approximations and ad hoc innovation. Our findings point towards an assertive and creative perspective on language use, which seems to have a positive influence on the communicative setting, e.g. illustrated by code-switching in combination with laughter. CASE participants use non-standard forms and innovations freely, accommodating to each others’ language use. They also establish their own ephemeral communication strategies and showcase and emphasize their respective language and cultural backgrounds.

The Pragmatics of English as a Lingua Franca: Research and Pedagogy in the Era of Globalization

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 80-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoko Taguchi ◽  
Noriko Ishihara
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Nonnative Speakers ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Pedagogical Practice ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Formal Instruction ◽  
L2 Pragmatics ◽  
Recent Trends

ABSTRACTIn step with advancing globalization, applied linguists are compelled to reconsider established assumptions about language use and learning (Kramsch, 2014). Focusing on English as a lingua franca (ELF), this article illustrates how realities of globalization have challenged our conventional ways of researching and teaching second language (L2) pragmatics. In the context of ELF where English is used as a medium of communication among nonnative speakers as well as between native and nonnative speakers, researchers need to examine pragmatic competence based on how L2 learners can navigate communicative demands by using communication strategies skillfully while negotiating their identities. At the same time, it is tenable for teachers to move away from the sole dependence on idealized native-speaker models of appropriateness, politeness, and formality in their pedagogical practice and instead incorporate a nonessentialist viewpoint into formal instruction. This article discusses these recent trends in researching and teaching pragmatics under the lingua franca framework.

Accounting for ELF

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 372-395
Author(s):  
Ruth Osimk-Teasdale ◽  
Nora Dorn
Keyword(s):  
Natural Language ◽  
Theoretical Approach ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
Linguistic Resources ◽  
Pos Tagging ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Different Types

This paper reports on some issues encountered when using various ‘external points of reference’ in the development of POS-tagging guidelines for the Vienna-Oxford International Corpus of English (VOICE). VOICE is a corpus of spoken English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) containing naturally occurring, plurilingual data. As in all kinds of natural language use, speakers recorded in VOICE exploit available linguistic resources, often resulting in non-codified language use and language which is difficult to classify unambiguously. However, detailed tagging solutions for such phenomena are rarely reported. We discuss usefulness and limitations of external points of reference with regard to their suitability for POS-tagging VOICE and address methodological as well as practical issues, especially the handling of non-codified language use and different types of ambiguities. We suggest that the solutions found, and the theoretical approach adopted, could be relevant for the tagging of other spoken corpora.

scholarly journals European first-year university students accept evolution but lack substantial knowledge about it: a standardized European cross-country assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Kuschmierz ◽  
Anna Beniermann ◽  
Alexander Bergmann ◽  
Rianne Pinxten ◽  
Tuomas Aivelo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Religious Faith ◽  
European Countries ◽  
First Year ◽  
Education Systems ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Acceptance Of Evolution ◽  
First Year University ◽  
School Curricula

Abstract Background Investigations of evolution knowledge and acceptance and their relation are central to evolution education research. Ambiguous results in this field of study demonstrate a variety of measuring issues, for instance differently theorized constructs, or a lack of standardized methods, especially for cross-country comparisons. In particular, meaningful comparisons across European countries, with their varying cultural backgrounds and education systems, are rare, often include only few countries, and lack standardization. To address these deficits, we conducted a standardized European survey, on 9200 first-year university students in 26 European countries utilizing a validated, comprehensive questionnaire, the “Evolution Education Questionnaire”, to assess evolution acceptance and knowledge, as well as influencing factors on evolution acceptance. Results We found that, despite European countries’ different cultural backgrounds and education systems, European first-year university students generally accept evolution. At the same time, they lack substantial knowledge about it, even if they are enrolled in a biology-related study program. Additionally, we developed a multilevel-model that determines religious faith as the main influencing factor in accepting evolution. According to our model, knowledge about evolution and interest in biological topics also increase acceptance of evolution, but to a much lesser extent than religious faith. The effect of age and sex, as well as the country’s affiliation, students’ denomination, and whether or not a student is enrolled in a biology-related university program, is negligible. Conclusions Our findings indicate that, despite all their differences, most of the European education systems for upper secondary education lead to acceptance of evolution at least in university students. It appears that, at least in this sample, the differences in knowledge between countries reflect neither the extent to which school curricula cover evolutionary biology nor the percentage of biology-related students in the country samples. Future studies should investigate the role of different European school curricula, identify particularly problematic or underrepresented evolutionary concepts in biology education, and analyze the role of religious faith when teaching evolution.

scholarly journals Miscommunication in Using English as a Lingua Franca

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruoyan Cui
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
International Communication ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Communication Breakdowns

English is now widely used as a lingua franca in international communication. Communication is a collaboration of all its participants. Although mutual understanding is commonly assumed during interaction, miscommunication is inevitable. ELF communication, with its interactants from diversified lingua-cultural backgrounds, is assumed to be susceptible to communication breakdowns. To verify this assumption, some empirical studies on ELF miscommunication are reviewed. It is found that miscommunication is infrequent in ELF communication and ELF interactants proactively employ communication strategies to preempt and repair understanding problems to ensure mutual understanding.

Hong Kong university students’ perceptions of their identities in English as a Lingua Franca contexts

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chit Cheung Matthew Sung
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
University Students ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
First Language ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Chinese Speakers ◽  
Second Language Speakers ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Asian Context

This paper presents findings from an exploratory study that investigated the perceptions of a group of Hong Kong university students concerning their identities in English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) contexts. Qualitative data were collected primarily via in-depth interviews with a group of second-language speakers of ELF who use English with people from different first-language and cultural backgrounds on a regular basis. The analysis revealed that these participants came to terms with their identities as non-native speakers of English and emphasized the importance of maintaining their cultural identities as Hong Kong or Chinese speakers of ELF. In addition, most of them valued their ‘multicompetence’ in English, Cantonese and Putonghua when speaking English in ELF situations. The inquiry also found that some participants’ identification with other non-native speakers of English within the ELF community was rather selective and that different members within the ELF community were not perceived as equally ideal speakers of ELF. The study offers some valuable insights into the identities of ELF speakers and the wider ELF community within an Asian context.

scholarly journals “BEING WHAT ONE OUGHT TO BE”: ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA IN THE ACADEMIC SPOKEN DISCOURSE OF BULGARIAN AND GERMAN STUDENTS

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Emilia Slavova
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Educational Outcome ◽  
Linguistic Capital ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Joint Project ◽  
Spoken Discourse ◽  
Spoken English

In an age of globalization and super-diversity, the concept of English as a national, homogeneous entity has been seriously undermined, and non-native speakers have been encouraged to use the language without constant recourse to the native-speaker ideal. Yet different varieties of English have different value attached to them on the linguistic market, in Bourdieu’s terms; and non-native speakers are in possession of different linguistic capital. The paper focuses on the relationships and attitudes to English on behalf of Bulgarian and German university students participating in a joint project in which a corpus of academic spoken English is compiled. Alongside collecting the corpus, the project appears to have a positive educational outcome in that it raises awareness about the specificity of English as a lingua franca.

scholarly journals Strategies Used in Taking a Computer-Based Speaking Test: A Retrospective Verbal Protocol Study

MANUSYA ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-96
Author(s):  
Sutthirak Sapsirin ◽  
Kanchana Prapphal ◽  
Lyle F. Bachman
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Goal Setting ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Verbal Protocol ◽  
Speaking Test ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Protocol Study

This study investigated the strategies used by examinees when performing a computer-based speaking test. The data were collected from nine university students through a retrospective interview. The results showed that the examinees used several strategies, ranging from goal setting, assessment, planning to communication strategies. These strategies seemed to be associated with the constructs the CBST aimed to measure. It can be concluded that the findings provide evidence that supports the validity of the CBST score interpretations.

scholarly journals A study of ethnic perception gap on consumer boycott of Korean and Canadian University students

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mie Kyung Jae ◽  
Hyang Ran Jeon
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Parent Company ◽  
Practical Case ◽  
Corporate Accountability ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Korean Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Cultural Comparison ◽  
Influential Variable

Purpose In this paper, the authors aim to offer a cross-cultural comparison of the boycott intentions of university students in Canada with those of students in Korea. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from students at Inje University and York University via self-administered questionnaire. A t-test found that Canadian students’ answers showed significantly greater scores in ethnocentrism, boycott attitudes prior to reading the target article and motivations related to self-enhancement compared to those acquired from Korean students. However, the motivation of counterarguments and the boycott intentions of Korean students’ toward Rogers, the parent company of Maclean’s magazine, showed significantly higher scores than those gained from Canadian students. Findings The boycott case used in the study is Maclean’s magazine, a Canadian news magazine, which published a controversial article called, “Too Asian? Some frosh don’t want to study at an “Asian” University”. A noticeable gap in each group of students’ boycott attitude and intentions toward Rogers, the parent company of Maclean’s magazine was found. Originality/value In the multiple regression analysis, the boycott motivation of self-enhancement was the most influential variable on boycott intentions. The boycott case examined in this paper is a practical case study of cross-national grouping as well as the perceptional difference of the locus of corporate accountability that comes from cross-cultural backgrounds.

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