1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education
  4. Volume 1, Issue 2
  5. Article
Volume 1, Issue 2
  • ISSN 2405-5522
  • E-ISSN: 2405-5530
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to examine the pragmatic development of 20 students during a short-term study abroad program in Spain. Request strategies were assessed with a written request production questionnaire. A language contact profile (LCP) was used to measure the relationship between pragmatic performance ratings and target language contact. Pretest and posttest mean scores on the request production questionnaire indicated that the students improved their request performance as rated by two native speakers. In looking at the specific request strategies used on the pretest and posttest vignettes, it is clear, however, that the students improved some aspects of their request production while other aspects remained unchanged. Further, LCP scores indicated that the students had little contact with native speakers during their time in Spain. No significant relationships were found between the LCP and request performance ratings. Results suggest that study abroad leadership should support students’ L2 pragmatic development before, during, and after study abroad.

© 2016 John Benjamins
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/sar.1.2.03her
2016-10-28
2024-10-08

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/sar.1.2.03her
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Allen, H.W
    (2010) Interactive contact during study abroad as linguistic affordance: Myth or reality?Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 19, 1–26.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Bachman, L.F. , & Palmer, A.S
    (1996) Language testing in practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Barron, A
    (2003) Acquisition in interlanguage pragmatics: Learning how to do things with words in a study abroad context. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/pbns.108
     https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.108 [Google Scholar]
  4. (2006) Learning to say abroad “you” in German: The acquisition of sociolinguistic competence in a study abroad context. In M.A. DuFon & E. Churchill (Eds.), Language learners in study abroad contexts (pp.59–88). Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Bataller, R
    (2010) Making a request for a service in Spanish: Pragmatic development in the study abroad setting. Foreign Language Annals, 43, 160–175. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2010.01065.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2010.01065.x [Google Scholar]
  6. Blum-Kulka, S. , House, J. , & Kasper, G
    (Eds.) (1989) Cross-cultural pragmatics: Requests and apologies. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Brown, P. , & Levinson, S
    (1987) Politeness: Some universals in language use. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Castañeda, M.E. , & Zirger, M.L
    (2011) Making the most of the new study abroad: Social capital and the short-term sojourn. Foreign Language Annals, 44, 544–564. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2011.01146.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2011.01146.x [Google Scholar]
  9. Cohen, A.D. , & Shively, R.L
    (2007) Acquisition of requests and apologies in Spanish and French: Impact of study abroad and strategy-building intervention. Modern Language Journal, 91, 189–212. doi: 10.1111/j.1540‑4781.2007.00540.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2007.00540.x [Google Scholar]
  10. Cole, S. , & Anderson, A
    (2001) Requests by young Japanese: A longitudinal study. The Language Teacher Online, 25, retrieved onJuly 28, 2012, fromhttp:/jalt-publications.org/old_tlt/articles/2001/08/Anderson
  11. Coleman, J.A
    (2013) Researching whole people and whole lives. In C. Kinginger (Ed.), Social and cultural aspects of language learning in study abroad (pp.17–44). Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/lllt.37.02col
     https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.37.02col [Google Scholar]
  12. Díaz-Campos, M
    (2004) Context of learning in the acquisition of Spanish second language phonology. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26, 249–273. doi: 10.1017/S0272263104262052
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263104262052 [Google Scholar]
  13. Dufon, M.A
    (1999) The acquisition of politeness in Indonesian by sojourners in naturalistic interactions. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Honolulu.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Félix-Brasdefer, J.C
    (2007) Pragmatic development in the Spanish as a FL classroom: A cross-sectional study of learner requests. Intercultural Pragmatics, 4, 253–286. doi: 10.1515/IP.2007.013
     https://doi.org/10.1515/IP.2007.013 [Google Scholar]
  15. Freed, B.F. , Dewey, D.P. , Segalowitz, N. , & Halter, R
    (2004) The language contact profile. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26, 349–356.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Freed, B.F. , Segalowitz, N. , & Dewey, D.P
    (2004) Context of learning and second language fluency in French: Comparing regular classroom, study abroad, and intensive domestic immersion programs. Studies in Second Language Acquisition26(2), 275–301.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Hernández, T.A
    (2010) The relationship among motivation, interaction, and the development of second language oral proficiency in a study abroad context. Modern Language Journal, 94, 600–617. doi: 10.1111/j.1540‑4781.2010.01053.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2010.01053.x [Google Scholar]
  18. (2016) Short-term study abroad: Perspectives on speaking gains and language contact. Applied Language Learning, 26, 39–64.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Hoffman-Hicks, S.D
    (1999) The longitudinal development of French foreign language pragmatic competence: Evidence from study abroad participants. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University, Bloomington.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Ingram, M
    (2005) Recasting the foreign language requirement through study abroad: A cultural immersion in Avignon. Foreign Language Annals, 38, 211–222. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2005.tb02486.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2005.tb02486.x [Google Scholar]
  21. Institute of International Education
    (2013) Open doors: Report on international educational exchange. Retrieved onMarch 20, 2013, fromopendoors.iienetwork.org/
  22. Isabelli-García, C
    (2006) Study abroad social networks, motivation, and attitudes: Implications for second language acquisition. In M. DuFon & E. Churchill (Eds.), Language learners in study abroad contexts (pp.231–258). Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Kasper, G. , & Rose, K
    (2002) Pragmatic development in a second language. Oxford: Blackwell.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Kinginger, C
    (2008) Language learning in study abroad: Case studies of Americans in France. Modern Language Journal, 92, 1–131. doi: 10.1111/j.1540‑4781.2008.00821.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2008.00821.x [Google Scholar]
  25. Knight, S.M. & Schmidt-Rinehart, B.C
    (2010) Exploring conditions to enhance student/host family interaction abroad. Foreign Language Annals, 43, 64–79. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2010.01060.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2010.01060.x [Google Scholar]
  26. Leech, G
    (1983) Principles of pragmatics. New York: Longman.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Magnan, S.S. , & Back, M
    (2006) Requesting help in French: Developing pragmatic features during study abroad. In S. Wilkinson (Ed.), Insights from study abroad for language programs (pp.22–44). Boston: Heinle.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. (2007) Social interaction and linguistic gain during study abroad. Foreign Language Annals, 40, 43–64. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2007.tb02853.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2007.tb02853.x [Google Scholar]
  29. Márquez Reiter, R
    (2000) Linguistic politeness in Britain and Uruguay: A contrastive study of requests and apologies. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/pbns.83
     https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.83 [Google Scholar]
  30. (2002) A contrastive study of conventional indirectness in Spanish: Evidence from Peninsular and Uruguayan Spanish. Pragmatics, 12, 135–151. doi: 10.1075/prag.12.2.02mar
     https://doi.org/10.1075/prag.12.2.02mar [Google Scholar]
  31. Martínez-Flor, A. , & Usó-Juan, E
    (2006) A comprehensive pedagogical framework to develop pragmatics in the foreign language classroom: The 6Rs approach. Applied Language Learning, 16, 39–64.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. Martinsen, R
    (2010) Short-term study abroad: Predicting changes in oral skills. Foreign Language Annals, 43, 503–530. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2010.01095.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2010.01095.x [Google Scholar]
  33. Mendelson, V.G
    (2004) Hindsight is 20/20: Student perceptions of language learning and the study abroad experience. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 10, 43–63.
     [Google Scholar]
  34. Pinto, D
    (2005) The acquisition of requests by second language learners of Spanish. Spanish in Context, 2, 1–27. doi: 10.1075/sic.2.1.01pin
     https://doi.org/10.1075/sic.2.1.01pin [Google Scholar]
  35. Ren, W
    (2014) A longitudinal investigation into L2 learners’ cognitive processes during study abroad. Applied Linguistics, 1, 1–21. doi: 10.1515/eujal‑2013‑0001
     https://doi.org/10.1515/eujal-2013-0001 [Google Scholar]
  36. Reynolds-Case, A
    (2013) The value of short-term study abroad: An increase in students’ cultural and pragmatic competency. Foreign Language Annals, 46, 311–322. doi: 10.1111/flan.12034
     https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12034 [Google Scholar]
  37. Schauer, G
    (2004) May you speaker louder maybe? Interlanguage pragmatic development in requests. EUROSLA Yearbook, 4, 253–272. doi: 10.1075/eurosla.4.12sch
     https://doi.org/10.1075/eurosla.4.12sch [Google Scholar]
  38. (2007) Finding the right words in the study abroad context: The development of German learners’ use of external modifiers in English. Intercultural Pragmatics, 4, 193–220. doi: 10.1515/IP.2007.011
     https://doi.org/10.1515/IP.2007.011 [Google Scholar]
  39. (2009) Interlanguage pragmatic development: The study abroad context. London: Continuum.
     [Google Scholar]
  40. Schmidt, R
    (2001) Attention. In P. Robinson (Ed.), Cognition and second language instruction (pp.3–33). New York: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9781139524780.003
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139524780.003 [Google Scholar]
  41. Segalowitz, N. , & Freed, B.F
    (2004) Context, contact, and cognition in oral fluency acquisition: Learning Spanish in at home and study abroad contexts. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26, 173–199. doi: 10.1017/S0272263104262027
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263104262027 [Google Scholar]
  42. Shively, R.L
    (2010) From the virtual world to the real world. A model of pragmatics instruction for study abroad. Foreign Language Annals, 43, 105–137. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2010.01063.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2010.01063.x [Google Scholar]
  43. (2011) L2 pragmatic development in study abroad: A longitudinal study of Spanish service encounters. Journal of Pragmatics, 43, 1818–1835. doi: 10.1016/j.pragma.2010.10.030
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2010.10.030 [Google Scholar]
  44. (2013) Out-of-class interaction during study abroad: Service encounters in Spain. Spanish in Context, 10, 53–91. doi: 10.1075/sic.10.1.03shi
     https://doi.org/10.1075/sic.10.1.03shi [Google Scholar]
  45. Shively, R.L. , & Cohen, A.D
    (2008) Development of Spanish requests and apologies during study abroad. Íkala, revista de lenguaje y cultura, 13, 53–118.
     [Google Scholar]
  46. Taguchi, N
    (2011) Rater variation in the assessment of speech acts. Pragmatics, 21, 453–471. doi: 10.1075/prag.21.3.08tag
     https://doi.org/10.1075/prag.21.3.08tag [Google Scholar]
  47. Thomas, J
    (1983) Cross-cultural pragmatic failure. Applied Linguistics, 4, 91–112. doi: 10.1093/applin/4.2.91
     https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/4.2.91 [Google Scholar]
  48. Usó-Juan, E
    (2010) A sociopragmatic approach. In A. Martínez-Flor & E. Usó-Juan (Eds.), Speech act performance: Theoretical, empirical and methodological issues (pp.237–256). Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/lllt.26.14uso
     https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.26.14uso [Google Scholar]
  49. Wilkinson, S
    (2000) On the nature of immersion during study abroad. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 4, 121–138.
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/sar.1.2.03her
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): language contact; pragmatics; requests; Spanish; study abroad

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error