Investigating the effects of pragmatic instruction: a comparison of L2 Spanish compliments and apologies during short term study-abroad

Abstract

Study abroad has been proposed as a crucial aspect to acquire pragmatics in a second language, under the assumption that learners receive more access to authentic input than is available in the classroom. Recent trends indicate a rise in the frequency of short-term study abroad programs (less than 3 months, Allen, 2010), although research has shown that learners may need closer to 9 months to approximate native-like norms without instruction (FÉLIX-BRASDEFER, 2004). This raises the question of how much pragmatic development can be seen in short-term programs, and how to maximize this development. The current study analyzed the development of two expressive speech acts, compliments and apologies, in students who completed a five-week study abroad program in Mérida, Mexico. During the program, learners received instruction on compliments, but not apologies. Speech act data was collected via a 24-item oral discourse completion task administered at both the beginning and end of the program and was further analyzed in SPSS. Results indicate that only some learners developed their production of apologies, while almost all learners showed development in their production of compliments, operationalized by an increased repertoire of strategies available. These results suggest the need for pragmatic instruction during short-term study abroad, and question the utility of native-speaker norms to measure pragmatic development during short-term programs.***Uma pesquisa sobre os efeitos da instrução pragmática: uma comparação de elogios e desculpas em espanhol como segunda língua durante um programa de intercâmbio de curta duração***O intercâmbio estudantil foi proposto como um aspecto crucial para adquirir competência pragmática em um segundo idioma, sob a suposição de que os alunos recebem mais acesso à linguagem autêntica do que é oferecido em sala de aula. As tendências recentes indicam um aumento na frequência de programas de intercâmbio de curto prazo no exterior (menos de três meses, Allen, 2010), contudo outras pesquisas têm mostrado que os alunos podem precisar de mais de nove meses para aproximar-se das normas nativas sem instrução (FÉLIX-BRASDEFER, 2004). Isso levanta a questão de quanto o desenvolvimento pragmático pode ser visto em programas de intercâmbio de curto prazo, e como maximizar esse desenvolvimento. O presente estudo analisou o desenvolvimento de dois atos de fala expressivos, elogios e desculpas, em estudantes que completaram um programa de intercâmbio de cinco semanas em Mérida, México. Durante o programa, os alunos receberam instrução sobre expressões de elogios, mas não sobre pedidos de desculpas. Os dados do ato de fala foram coletados por meio de uma tarefa de conclusão do discurso oral de 24 itens, administrada no início e no final do programa e analisados no SPSS. Os resultados indicam que apenas alguns dos estudantes desenvolveram seus atos de pedir desculpas, enquanto quase todos os alunos mostraram desenvolvimento em sua produção de elogios, operacionalizado como um repertório crescente de estratégias disponíveis. Esses resultados sugerem a necessidade da instrução pragmática durante os programas de intercâmbio estudantil de curto prazo e questionam a utilidade das normas dos falantes nativos para medir o desenvolvimento pragmático durante programas de curto prazo.

“Sorry, that's all I know!”: A study on web‐based pragmatic instruction for novice learners

“…Timing also appears to play a crucial role when it comes to producing different apology strategies. In this area, our results confirm the developmental stages found in study‐abroad contexts (DiBartolomeo et al, 2019; Hernández, 2018; Shively & Cohen, 2008). Participants in this study were second‐semester learners of Spanish, and as such, they overrelied on speaker‐oriented strategies that they transferred from their L1.…”

“…While these differences can present difficulties for L2 learners, the results of pragmatic instructional studies suggest they may be overcome via explicit instruction (see Takahashi, 2010 andTaguchi, 2015). Studies on the acquisition of Spanish apologies in study abroad contexts (e.g., DiBartolomeo et al, 2019;Hernández, 2018;Shively & Cohen, 2008) have identified four developmental stages: (1) initial dependency on single prepatterned chunks like lo siento (I'm sorry), which have an exact parallel in the L1; (2) decrease of L1 pragmatic system transfer, reducing the number of nontarget-like expressions such as speaker-oriented apologies; (3) use of a wider range of apology strategies-although not always following native norms-like explanations or expression of responsibility; and (4) use of complex intensifying devices such as adverbs.…”

The Role of Learner Variables in Pragmatic Development during Study Abroad: A Systematic Review

“…So far, the impacts of different variations of the SA experience on several aspects of L2 pragmatics such as speech act, discourse markers, and politeness have been explored (see Xiao 2015a). A body of research has focused on the effects of the length of stay and evidenced the positive effects of short-term stays, where learners have limited time and opportunity to assimilate with the target culture and to develop their L2 pragmatics (e.g., Al Masaeed 2022;Czerwionka and Cuza 2017;DiBartolomeo et al 2019;Hassall 2013), as opposed to longer educational sojourns lasting a year or more (e.g., Iwasaki 2010;Ren 2013).…”

Language immersion effects in the use of tú and usted by L1-French and L1-European Portuguese learners of Spanish

“…Due to the limited attention given to pragmatics, which importantly includes PAs, in explicit Spanish language teaching, study abroad (SA) has been seen as a means of addressing such gaps and complementing language learners’ education. Indeed, researchers have looked into the effects of participating in SA programs on the use of more locally appropriate norms when performing specific speech acts, especially requests, apologies, and compliments (Bataller, 2010; Cohen & Shively, 2007; DiBartolomeo et al, 2019; Félix-Brasdefer & Hasler-Barker, 2015; Hernández, 2018; Hernández & Boero, 2018; Shively, 2011), Findings indicate that SA contributes to achieving such goals, but many studies insist that learners’ incidental exposure to relevant input while abroad may not be sufficient and recommend the inclusion of explicit classroom-based pragmatic treatments, either pre-SA or during SA (Morris, 2017). This need for additional explicit teaching may be observed because most research was carried out with students who participated in “sheltered” SA programs, where learners complete courses with peers and instructors from their home institution.…”