School of Languages and Linguistics - Theses

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Author: Tran, Van Thi Thanh × End date: 2014 × Start date: 2010 × Type: PhD thesis × Subject: second language acquisition ×

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    Second language interactional competence: solicitation effects on suggestions
    Tran, Van Thi Thanh ( 2014)
    This study investigated the acquisition of second language interactional competence via the speech act of suggestion produced by Vietnamese learners of English. The study employed a cross-sectional design to examine the effects of proficiency level and learning environment on learners’ pragmatic development. Specifically, the data elicitation instruments – role-play scenarios - were designed to uncover the solicitation effects on suggestion making. Four groups of learners of different proficiency levels in ESL and EFL environments were recruited for the study: a group of ESL learners of high proficiency level, a group of EFL learners of high proficiency level, a group of EFL learners of middle proficiency level, and a group of EFL learners of low proficiency level. A group of Australian native speakers were also recruited to provide baseline data. The employment of conversation analysis analytical apparatus in data analysis revealed significant solicitation effects on suggestion making. While the analysis of linguistic features of suggestions did not reveal any marked differences between two types of suggestions, the two types did differ in their sequence organizations. Discursive patterns of solicited suggestions varied in insertions and post-expansions whereas patterns of unsolicited suggestions varied in pre-expansions and post-expansions. Similarly, significant differences of preference organization of the two types of suggestions were found. While solicited suggestions were preferred ones, unsolicited suggestions were dispreferred. A number of preferences in suggestions were also documented. The examination of proficiency effects on learners’ performance showed a non-linear developmental pattern in unsolicited suggestions. That is, learners of mid proficiency and low proficiency levels were able to mitigate their suggestions while learners of high proficiency level did not attempt to use mitigating devices. On a learning environment note, learners in a second language environment resembled native speakers’ performance while learners in a foreign language environment differed significantly. The research contributes to the discursive pragmatics and interactional competence development in CA-for-SLA literature. It suggests important implications for pragmatics instruction and methodological implications for interlanguage pragmatic research.