Metalinguistic explanations and self‐reports as triangulation data for interpreting second language sociolinguistic performance

Abstract

The study reported here explores the use of learners' metalinguistic explanations and self‐reports of variable language production as triangulation data for interpreting second language (L2) sociolinguistic performance, focusing on the variable retention versus omission of the negative morpheme ne. Our central argument is that performance data alone are not sufficient for evaluating how L2 learners perceive social and stylistic variation in the language they are studying. To this end, an analysis of data from a variety of sources is presented. The results illustrate how multiple data sources can provide a multidimensional view of sociolinguistic performance that is not necessarily revealed when performance data alone are considered as a single source of analysis. Nous explorons l'utilisation d'explications métalinguistiques et d'auto‐rapports de production langagière variable d'apprenants en tant que données de triangulation pour l'interprétation de la performance sociolinguistique en langue seconde, tout en nous concentrant sur la rétention et l'omission du morphème de négation ne. Nous proposons que les données de performance ne sont pas suffisantes pour évaluer la compréhension de la variation sociale et stylistique de la part des étudiants dans la langue qu'ils apprennent. À cette fin, une analyse de données provenant de diverses sources est présentée. Les résultats montrent comment plusieurs sources de données peuvent fournir une perspective multidimensionnelle de la performance sociolinguistique, une perspective qui n'aurait pas été révélée si nous n'avions considéré que les données de performance.

Engagement Portraits and (Socio)linguistic Performance

“…The development of sociolinguistic competence by advanced second language (L2) learners is an area of interest within the field of SLA that has come under increased research-based scrutiny over the last decade or two (e.g., Bayley & Preston, 1996; Bayley & Regan, 2004; Dewaele & Regan, 2001; Geeslin, 2000; Iwasaki, 2008; Killam, 2011; Li, 2010; R. Mougeon, Nadasdi, & Rehner, 2010; Schmidt, 2011; van Compernolle, 2011). This research has focused on the sociolinguistic competence of learners of different second or foreign languages (e.g., Chinese, English, French, Japanese, or Spanish) from a variety of linguistic backgrounds.…”

Promoting sociolinguistic competence in the classroom zone of proximal development

“…What seems less clear is the impact the IC has on learner performance from an ontogenetic perspective. As van Compernolle and Williams (2011) have noted, although this type of pedagogical intervention has a clear positive effect on developing learners' understanding of language variation, their productive use of variation does not develop at the same time or at the same speed. However, while conceptual understanding does not necessarily equate to performance abilities (Valsiner, 2001), 'it plays a critical role in guiding development of performance ability because it serves to orient learners to the meaning-making possibilities offered by the language' (Negueruela & Lantolf, 2006, p. 88).…”

“…In addition, a cursory review of the chat data revealed a great deal of variation in the use of the second-person pronouns tu (T) and vous (V), inasmuch as many learners used one or the other of these pronouns indiscriminately, sometimes switching from T to V (or vice versa) within the same turn (see also McCourt, 2009;Williams, 2003). The intervention aimed to raise learners' awareness and understanding of sociolinguistic variation in French, in the hopes that their performance would also improve ( van Compernolle & Williams, 2011). The intervention consisted of a set of language analysis tasks focusing on the variable use of the pronouns tu 'you-informal', vous 'you-plural' or 'you-singular-formal', nous 'we', and on 'one' or 'we', as well as the variable use of the negative morpheme ne, in a number of different discourse situations:…”

“…1 Because of the paucity of authentic language in many educational contexts, classroom L2 learners often become monostylistic communicators, situated somewhere between informal, everyday speakers and relatively standard, formal, or literary language users (Dewaele, 2001). Consequently, the transition from classroom student to L2 user in authentic sociocultural contexts can be arduous for many learners who have rarely, if ever, encountered naturally occurring informal or colloquial registers of language (van Compernolle & Williams, 2011).…”

Variable beliefs about the need for accuracy in the oral production of German: an exploratory study

“…They include contradictory views across and within NSs, such as reported in Dubiner et al () and evidenced in the contradictory results of error‐gravity studies for German (DeLisle ; Politzer ), the differential between the idealized standard language taught in foreign language classrooms and the real‐life national and regional variants that, in turn, are bound by subtle social norms (e.g. Crispim ; Luzon, Campoy, del Mar Sanchez and Salazar ; Bieswanger ; Van Compernolle and Williams ), and the fact that communicative language teaching, the prevalent method of foreign language instruction in the US, has refrained from taking a firm ideological stance on accuracy, leaving matters of focus on form contested in both teaching practice and research (e.g. Basturkmen, Loewen, and Ellis ; Dyson ; Ellis, Basturkmen, and Loewen ).…”