12. Teaching language learners how to understand sarcasm in L2 English
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Jiyun Kim
Abstract
This study reports on a project that aimed to develop students’ ability to detect and understand sarcasm in L2 English as used in spoken discourse. Derived from Vygotsky’s theory of consciousness and Gal’perin’s associated theory of educational development, the study helped learners by providing direct instruction on identifying and interpreting L2 sarcasm. Among the multiple data sets collected, this chapter particularly focuses on analysis of preand post-instruction individual interviews used to gauge learner development in understanding the concept of English sarcasm. By developing theoretical knowledge of sarcasm, students established a solid cognitive framework for more readily understanding the L2 concept. More importantly, learners gained a sense of empowerment by finally understanding subtle features of sarcasm that they had not previously recognized. The results highlight the importance of instructional quality and teacher-learner dialectics in which learners interact with an expert tutor who offers pedagogically designed psychological tools and semantic-pragmatic explanations to promote a functional understanding of subtle concepts such as sarcasm.
Abstract
This study reports on a project that aimed to develop students’ ability to detect and understand sarcasm in L2 English as used in spoken discourse. Derived from Vygotsky’s theory of consciousness and Gal’perin’s associated theory of educational development, the study helped learners by providing direct instruction on identifying and interpreting L2 sarcasm. Among the multiple data sets collected, this chapter particularly focuses on analysis of preand post-instruction individual interviews used to gauge learner development in understanding the concept of English sarcasm. By developing theoretical knowledge of sarcasm, students established a solid cognitive framework for more readily understanding the L2 concept. More importantly, learners gained a sense of empowerment by finally understanding subtle features of sarcasm that they had not previously recognized. The results highlight the importance of instructional quality and teacher-learner dialectics in which learners interact with an expert tutor who offers pedagogically designed psychological tools and semantic-pragmatic explanations to promote a functional understanding of subtle concepts such as sarcasm.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Contents v
- Introduction 1
- 1. Language play in conversation 11
- 2. Playing with turns, playing with action? A social-interactionist perspective 47
- 3. The shape of tweets to come: Automating language play in social networks 73
- 4. “This system’s so slow”: Negotiating sequences of laughter and laughables in call-center interaction 93
- 5. Laughter as a “serious business”: Clients’ laughter in prenatal screening for Down’s syndrome 119
- 6. Jocular language play, social action and (dis)affiliation in conversational interaction 143
- 7. “Everything he says to me it’s like he stabs me in the face”: Frontstage and backstage reactions to teasing 169
- 8. Cities, conviviality and double-edged language play 199
- 9. Building rapport and a sense of communal identity through play in a second language classroom 219
- 10. The first English (EFL) lesson: Initial settings or the emergence of a playful classroom culture 245
- 11. The emergence of creativity in L2 English: A usage-based case-study 281
- 12. Teaching language learners how to understand sarcasm in L2 English 317
- 13. Anti-language: Linguistic innovation, identity construction, and group affiliation among emerging speech communities 347
- 14. Celebrations of a satirical song: Ideologies of anti-racism in the media 377
- Index 403
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Contents v
- Introduction 1
- 1. Language play in conversation 11
- 2. Playing with turns, playing with action? A social-interactionist perspective 47
- 3. The shape of tweets to come: Automating language play in social networks 73
- 4. “This system’s so slow”: Negotiating sequences of laughter and laughables in call-center interaction 93
- 5. Laughter as a “serious business”: Clients’ laughter in prenatal screening for Down’s syndrome 119
- 6. Jocular language play, social action and (dis)affiliation in conversational interaction 143
- 7. “Everything he says to me it’s like he stabs me in the face”: Frontstage and backstage reactions to teasing 169
- 8. Cities, conviviality and double-edged language play 199
- 9. Building rapport and a sense of communal identity through play in a second language classroom 219
- 10. The first English (EFL) lesson: Initial settings or the emergence of a playful classroom culture 245
- 11. The emergence of creativity in L2 English: A usage-based case-study 281
- 12. Teaching language learners how to understand sarcasm in L2 English 317
- 13. Anti-language: Linguistic innovation, identity construction, and group affiliation among emerging speech communities 347
- 14. Celebrations of a satirical song: Ideologies of anti-racism in the media 377
- Index 403
