Significance of Pragmatics in Second Language Acquisition: Enhancing Communication and Intercultural Competence

Pragmatics in Second Language Acquisition"

Authors

  • Delowar Suman BRAC University, Bangladesh.

Keywords:

Language, SLA, Linguistics, Learning, Teaching, Pragmatics

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a major uptick in interest regarding the study of pragmatics in second language acquisition (SLA). This is mostly attributable to the critical function that pragmatics play in the development of efficient communication skills in a second language. Pragmatics is the study of language use in context, which includes the interpretation of meaning beyond the literal level, the use of language for a variety of goals, and the understanding of social norms and practices in communication. Pragmatics is often referred to as sociopragmatics.

The acquisition of pragmatics in a second language is crucial for learners in order for them to be capable of effectively conveying intended meanings and to avoid misunderstandings or misinterpretations in a variety of social circumstances. Additionally, the development of pragmatic competence in a second language is intimately linked to the learner's intercultural competence, which enables the learner to communicate effectively with persons whose linguistic and cultural backgrounds are distinct from their own.

In research on second language acquisition (SLA), the function of pragmatics has been explored from a variety of viewpoints, such as its link with degrees of proficiency, the impact of teaching on the development of pragmatic skills, and the role of feedback and corrective feedback in the process of enhancing pragmatic competence. In addition, recent research has underlined the significance of including pragmatic training and intercultural communication in language learning curriculum in order to improve the communicative skills of language learners.

In general, the significance of pragmatics in SLA is crucial, and its growth need to be prioritized in language teaching and learning in order to facilitate efficient communication and an understanding of other cultures.

References

Bardovi-Harlig, K. (2017). Researching pragmatic development in a second language. In K. Bardovi-Harlig & B. Bastos (Eds.), L2 pragmatics: Research, theory, and practice (pp. 271-283). Routledge.

Barron, A. (2003). Acquisition in interlanguage pragmatics: Learning how to do things with words in a study abroad context. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Multilingual Matters.

Chang, Y. F. (2018). The effects of explicit instruction on EFL learners’ pragmatic development in complimenting. Journal of Pragmatics, 135, 75-88.

Dey, M. (2023). The primary characteristics of English pragmatics in Applied Linguistics: Exploring the Key Features of English Pragmatics in Applied Linguistics. Inverge Journal of Social Sciences, 2(2), 1-13.

Félix-Brasdefer, J. C. (2016). Second language pragmatics. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Linguistics.

Golato, A. (2015). Second language pragmatic development in study abroad contexts. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 35, 38-61.

Huang, L., & Hasegawa-Johnson, M. (2015). Toward computational sociolinguistics: A survey of recent advances in extracting social meaning from sound and language. IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, 32(5), 84-96.

Kasper, G. (2001). Four perspectives on L2 pragmatic development. Applied Linguistics, 22(4), 502-530.

Kasper, G. (2012). Intercultural pragmatics. In C. A. Chapelle (Ed.), The encyclopedia of applied linguistics. Wiley-Blackwell.

Kasper, G., & Rose, K. R. (2002). Pragmatic development in a second language. Language Teaching, 35(1), 1-18.

Kasper, G., & Schmidt, R. (1996). Developmental issues in interlanguage pragmatics. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 18(2), 149-169.

Kecskes, I. (2014). Intercultural pragmatics. Oxford University Press.

Kramsch, C. (2014). Teaching foreign languages in an era of globalization: Introduction. The Modern Language Journal, 98(1), 296-311.

Roever, C. (2011). Testing ESL pragmatics: Development and validation of a web-based assessment battery. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.

Rose, K. R. (2017). Pragmatic competence and second language acquisition. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 37, 40-59.

Taguchi, N. (2015). Pragmatic development in second language acquisition. In B. Aarts, J. Close, G. Leech, & S. Wallis (Eds.), The English language: Cognition and communication (pp. 689-706). Cambridge University Press.

Tomalin, B., & Stempleski, S. (1993). Cultural awareness. Oxford University Press.

Published

13-04-2023

How to Cite

Suman, D. (2023). Significance of Pragmatics in Second Language Acquisition: Enhancing Communication and Intercultural Competence: Pragmatics in Second Language Acquisition". Inverge Journal of Social Sciences, 2(2), 54–65. Retrieved from https://invergejournals.com/index.php/ijss/article/view/28

Similar Articles

1 2 3 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.