The Use of Mitigation Devices in Heritage Learners of Chinese

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-170
Author(s):  
Qiong Li ◽  
Haomin Zhang ◽  
Naoko Taguchi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Linguistic Knowledge ◽  
Power Relationship ◽  
Heritage Learners ◽  
Chinese Speakers ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Unique Nature ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Post Hoc

This study investigated the pragmatic competence of Chinese heritage learners (CHLs) on the use of three Chinese-specific mitigation devices: Chinese sentence final particles (SFPs), yixia/xia “for a while”, and reduplication of verbs. Their performances were compared with those of foreign language learners of Chinese (CFLs) and native Chinese speakers (NSs). Twenty-three NSs and 60 Chinese language learners in the intermediate and advanced-level classes (31 CHLs and 29 CFLs) participated in the study. Participants completed a computerized written production task that included two types of situations (PD-low and high situations) based on two contextual factors: the power relationship (P) and social distance (D). The statistical findings showed no notable significant heritage advantage; however, the post-hoc analysis revealed the unique nature of CHLs’ pragmatic competence, vacillating between CFLs and NSs. Specifically, CHLs outperformed CFLs in the use of SFPs and yixia/xia in both PD-low and high situations, but they fell behind the NSs in certain aspects, especially in their linguistic knowledge on SFPs and yixia/xia.

Pragmatic competence of heritage learners of Chinese and its relationship to social contact

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoko Taguchi ◽  
Haomin Zhang ◽  
Qiong Li
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Contact ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Heritage Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Social Settings ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Final Particles

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate: (1) Chinese heritage learners’ (CHLs) pragmatic competence in comparison to foreign language learners of Chinese (CFLs) and (2) the relationship between CHLs’ pragmatic competence and their language contact in a range of social settings. Focal linguistic forms included sentence final particles (SFPs) and formulaic expressions (FORs). Sixty Chinese language learners in the intermediate- and advanced-level classes (31 CHLs and 29 CFLs) participated in the study. Participants completed a computerized listening comprehension task, a written production task, and a language contact questionnaire. Findings showed that CHLs outperformed CFLs in both comprehension and production of Chinese sentence final particles and formulaic expressions. The analysis of language contact questionnaire revealed that learners who reported a greater amount of interactive language contact achieved higher scores on the pragmatic tasks, regardless of the constructs and skill domains assessed.

scholarly journals Insider Perspective: Attitude and Motivational Orientation among Heritage Learners of Japanese at Colleges in the Philadelphia-area

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miki Gilmore
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Motivational Orientation ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Heritage Learners ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Motivational Orientations ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Study Participants

This study investigates the attitudes and motivational orientations of heritage learners of Japanese. Twenty-seven students enrolled in Japanese classes in colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area participated in this study. Participants fell into two categories: heritage learners (N=6) and foreign language learners (N=21). Data was collected through an online questionnaire consisting of both quantitative and qualitative sections. Descriptive statistics were used to determine participants’ attitudes toward Japanese language, people, and culture and primary motivational orientations toward learning Japanese. The Fisher’s exact test was used to determine the effect of heritage status on attitude and motivational orientation. Results show both groups of learners generally have positive attitudes, though heritage learners tended to enjoy studying Japanese less than their counterparts without familial or cultural connection to the target language. Based on the findings and my personal experience, recommendations are made language instructors of Japanese to address the unique needs of heritage learners.

scholarly journals Offers by Greek FL learners

Pragmatics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 531-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spyridoula Bella
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Verbal Reports ◽  
Developmental Patterns ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Grammatical Structures

This study investigates developmental patterns in the ability of Greek foreign language learners to make offers. Drawing data from role-plays and retrospective verbal reports it attempts to explore the initiative offer strategies, the syntactic modification and the degree of insistence that learners of three different proficiency levels (lower intermediate, intermediate and advanced) employ when performing offers in two symmetrical (-P, -D) and two asymmetrical (+P, +D) situations. The results suggest that, although there is a great deal of grammatical and pragmalinguistic development regarding both initiative offer strategies and syntactic modification devices, this does not guarantee concomitant levels of sociopragmatic development (cf. Bardovi-Harlig 1999). Specifically, it is shown that learners of increased proficiency tend to overgeneralise complex grammatical structures like interrogative constructions and the conditional in situations in which NSs employ more direct and simple grammatical means in order to achieve a solidarity effect. Furthermore, the learners appear to lag far behind NSs in the appropriate use of insistence. The findings of the study lend support to both the developmental stages of pragmatic competence acknowledged in the relevant literature (Ellis 1992; Achiba 2003) and to Bialystok's (1993) model regarding the acquisition of pragmatic competence.

Misplaced Heritage Language Learners of Japanese in Secondary Schools

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-221
Author(s):  
Susan Oguro ◽  
Robyn Moloney
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Distinct Group ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Heritage Language Learners ◽  
Heritage Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Formal Program

While heritage language learners are becoming visible in the research literature as a distinct group of language learners with specific needs, existing curriculum structures in secondary schools often focus on programs either for foreign language learners or for first language learners. The study reported here examines the experiences of heritage learners of Japanese who have been inappropriately placed in courses designed for native speakers and as a result, in some cases, have withdrawn from taking any formal program of Japanese language study. Focusing on the situation of Australian senior secondary Japanese students, this article reports the findings of questionnaire and interview data, featuring the voices of both teachers and heritage learners of Japanese. The data identify the issues that delineate heritage language learners from native speakers and highlight, through the experiences of misplaced learners, the need for appropriate placement, pedagogy and curriculum

An Investigation of the Relationship between Pragmatic Competence and Motivation for Non-English Majors

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 1308
Author(s):  
Xiaojing Chen
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning Motivation ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
The Relationship

Language is used for communication. Pragmatic competence, which is essential in English teaching, is an important component of communicative competence. The development of pragmatic competence will enhance that of foreign language learners’ communicative competence. This study discusses the relation between pragmatic competence and language learning motivation. Results show that students’ general pragmatic competence is at a low level. Most of the subjects hold instrumental motivation as their dominant motivation. Significant correlation has been found between pragmatic competence and language learning motivation (r=.582; p=.000). According to the survey results, the author provides several suggestions on cultivating and maintaining learners’ motivation in their pragmatic learning.

The impact of group composition and task design on foreign language learners’ interactions in mobile-based intercultural exchanges

ReCALL ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-84
Author(s):  
Juhee Lee ◽  
Jayoung Song
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Group Composition ◽  
Task Design ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Contact Frequency ◽  
Unique Nature ◽  
The One ◽  
The Impact ◽  
And Task

AbstractThis study examines the impact of group composition (one-on-one vs. multiple-to-multiple) and task design (student-selected vs. teacher-assigned) on undergraduate foreign language learners’ interactions in a mobile-based intercultural exchange. The participants, 27 Korean students learning English as a foreign language and 27 American students learning Korean as a foreign language, interacted in pairs and groups via mobile phones to complete weekly tasks for eight weeks. This study used mixed methods to analyze the data from mobile chat scripts, questionnaires, and interviews. The results indicated that the one-on-one and multiple-to-multiple groups did not differ significantly regarding contact frequency or number of written chats. However, one-on-one and multiple-to-multiple interactions did differ with regard to the quality of the interactions, reflecting the unique nature of each group composition. A one-on-one relationship promoted a higher level of intimacy and friendship, thus rendering it appropriate for providing linguistic and emotional support in learning foreign languages. In contrast, multiple-to-multiple communications were found to be more beneficial for learning about different perspectives on the target cultures. In terms of task design, teacher-assigned tasks guided students to engage in productive interactions effectively, whereas student-selected tasks elicited their personal investment in the tasks. Supporting social interdependence theory (Johnson & Johnson, 1989, 2009), we argue that the establishment of intimate relationships among group members may be the key to quality interactions in mobile-based intercultural exchanges.

scholarly journals Comprehension of conversational implicature in L2 Chinese

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoko Taguchi ◽  
Shuai Li ◽  
Yan Liu
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Elementary Level ◽  
Heritage Learners ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
L2 Chinese ◽  
Participant Group ◽  
Conventional Implicatures

This study examined the ability to comprehend conventional and non-conventional implicatures, and the effect of proficiency and learning context (foreign language learners vs. heritage learners) on comprehension of implicature in L2 Chinese. Participants were three groups of college students of Chinese: elementary-level foreign language learners (n=21), advanced-level foreign language learners (n=25), and advanced-level heritage learners (n=25). They completed a 36-item computer-delivered listening test measuring their ability to comprehend three types of implicature: conventional indirect refusals, conventional indirect opinions, and non-conventional indirect opinions. Comprehension was analyzed for accuracy (scores on a multiple-choice measure) and comprehension speed (average time taken to answer items correctly). There was a significant effect of implicature type on accuracy, but not on comprehension speed. A significant effect of participant group was observed on accuracy, but the effect was mixed on comprehension speed.

scholarly journals Profiling Pragmatic Competence of Foreign Language Learners

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-90
Author(s):  
Marija Kusevska ◽  
Biljana Ivanovska ◽  
Nina Daskalovska ◽  
Tatjana Ulanska
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Republic Of Macedonia ◽  
Foreign Language Learners

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to explore the components that foreign language learners need to acquire in order to develop their pragmatic competence. This paper presents a description of phase one of an ongoing research project at Goce Delcev University-Stip, Republic of Macedonia, on developing pragmatic competence of foreign language learners. We first define pragmatic competence; then we discuss data collection instruments and procedures; and we conclude with an outlook on further research.

Pragmatic development in L2 use of criticisms

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 163-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thi Thuy Minh Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Pragmatic Development ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Per Se

This paper presents a study of the development of L2 pragmatic competence in the speech act of criticisms. Data were collected from three proficiency groups of Vietnamese foreign language learners of English via a conversation elicitation task and a written questionnaire. An interview was also conducted to probe into the learners’ pragmatic decision-making. Results show that the strongest difference among the learners lay in the area of modifiers to criticisms, rather than in the criticism strategies per se. Specifically, as the learners became more proficient in the L2, they mitigated their criticisms more often, thanks to a better control over language processing. However, they still lagged far behind the native speaker group in the frequency of their use of mitigators. These proficiency effects were explained by the EFL context, which probably did not much facilitate pragmatic development, given the learners’ insufficient exposure to the target norms.

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