The effect of individual-level variables on speech act performance
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Lisa M. Kuriscak
Abstract
Many factors affect the realisation of speech acts, including sociocultural norms, being a native or nonnative speaker, situational parameters of the exchange, and individual differences in personal characteristics. This chapter focuses on findings related to the last set of factors and specifically on personality (extraversion), aptitude (and its related construct, proficiency), and motivation. These multicomponent traits are distinct constructs but are not entirely discreet from each other. In a review of literature that incorporates second language acquisition and interlanguage pragmatics, their dynamic relationship and their effects on speech acts are described, with an eye toward discerning the relative contributions of these variables to the expression (and interpretation) of second-language speech acts and to offering suggestions for future research.
Abstract
Many factors affect the realisation of speech acts, including sociocultural norms, being a native or nonnative speaker, situational parameters of the exchange, and individual differences in personal characteristics. This chapter focuses on findings related to the last set of factors and specifically on personality (extraversion), aptitude (and its related construct, proficiency), and motivation. These multicomponent traits are distinct constructs but are not entirely discreet from each other. In a review of literature that incorporates second language acquisition and interlanguage pragmatics, their dynamic relationship and their effects on speech acts are described, with an eye toward discerning the relative contributions of these variables to the expression (and interpretation) of second-language speech acts and to offering suggestions for future research.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of contributors xi
- Preface xiii
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Section I. Theoretical groundings
- Pragmatics and speech act performance 3
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Section II. Empirical foundations
- The effect of individual-level variables on speech act performance 23
- Data collection methods in speech act performance 41
- Conversation analysis and speech act performance 57
- Culture and its effect on speech act performance 75
- Study abroad and its effect on speech act performance 91
- Speech act performance in workplace settings 109
- The effect of pragmatic instruction on speech act performance 127
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Section III. Methodological innovations
- Apologies 145
- Complaints 163
- Compliments and responses to compliments 179
- Disagreement 199
- Refusals 217
- Requests 237
- Suggestions 257
- Index 275
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of contributors xi
- Preface xiii
-
Section I. Theoretical groundings
- Pragmatics and speech act performance 3
-
Section II. Empirical foundations
- The effect of individual-level variables on speech act performance 23
- Data collection methods in speech act performance 41
- Conversation analysis and speech act performance 57
- Culture and its effect on speech act performance 75
- Study abroad and its effect on speech act performance 91
- Speech act performance in workplace settings 109
- The effect of pragmatic instruction on speech act performance 127
-
Section III. Methodological innovations
- Apologies 145
- Complaints 163
- Compliments and responses to compliments 179
- Disagreement 199
- Refusals 217
- Requests 237
- Suggestions 257
- Index 275
