Multimethod Approach to Research in Interlanguage Pragmatics
Argument over the use of particular method in interlanguage pragmatics has increased recently. Researchers argued the advantages and disadvantages of each method either natural or elicited. Findings of different studies indicated that the use of one method may not provide enough data to answer all its questions. The current study investigated the validity of using multimethod approach in interlanguage pragmatics to understand the development of requests in Arabic as a second language (Arabic L2). To this end, the study adopted two methods belong to two types of data sources: the institutional discourse (natural data), and the role play (elicited data). Participants were 117 learners of Arabic L2 at the university level, representing four levels (beginners, low-intermediate, highintermediate, and advanced). Results showed that using two or more methods in interlanguage pragmatics affect the size and nature of data.
[1] J. Mey, Pragmatics: An Introduction, Cambridge, Massachusetts:
Blackwell Publishers, 2001.
[2] D. Crystal, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. New York, Cambridge University Press, 1997.
[3] J. Reinecke, Language and Dialect in Hawaii. University of Hawaii
Press, Honolulu, Hawai, 1969.
[4] L. Selinker "Interlanguage," International Journal of Intercultural
Relations, vo. 10, pp. 209-231, 1972.
[5] D. Larsen-Freeman, and M. H. Long, An Introduction to Second
Language Acquisition Research, New York: Longma, 1994.
[6] G. Kasper, "Pragmatic Transfer". Second Language Research, vo. 8 ED-
3, pp. 203-231, 1992.
[7] G. Kasper, and S. Blum-Kulka, Interlanguage Pragmatics. New York:
Oxford University Press, 1993.
[8] G. Kasper, and M. Dahl, "Research methods in interlanguage
pragmatics," Studies in Second Language Acquisition, v. 13, pp. 215-
247, 1991.
[9] G. Kasper, and K. R. Rose, "Pragmatics and second language
acquisition," Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, v. 19, pp. 81-104, 1999.
[10] M. Achiba, Learning to Request in a Second Language: Child
Interlanguage Pragmatics, Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters,
2003.
[11] G. Kasper, and K. R. Rose, Pragmatic Development in a Second
Language. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2002.
[12] G. Kasper, and R. Schmidt, "Developmental issues in interlanguage
pragmatics," Studies on Second Language Acquisition, v. 18, pp. 149-
169, 1996.
[13] N. Houck, and S. M. Gass, "Non-native refusals: A methodological
perspective," in Speech Acts Across Cultures: Challenges to
Communication in a Second Language, S. M. Gass and J. Neu Eds.
Berlin: Mouton de Gruyte, 1996, pp. 45-64.
[14] C. Félix-Brasdefer, "Natural speech vs. elicited data: A comparison of
natural and role requests in Mexican Spanish," Spanish in Context, vol.
4, ED-2, pp. 159-185, 2007.
[15] D. Boxer, Complaining and Commiserating: A Speech Act View of
Solidarity in Spoken American English, New York: Peter Lang, 1993.
[16] J. Bodman, and M. Eisenstein, "May God increase your bounty: The
expression of gratitude in English by native and nonnative speakers,"
Cross Currents, v. 15, pp. 1-21, 1988.
[17] L. M. Beebe, and M. C. Cummings, "Natural speech act data versus
written questionnaire data: How data collection method affects speech
act performance," in Speech Acts Across Cultures: Challenges to
Communication in a Second Language, S. M. Gass and J. Neu Eds.
Berlin: Mouton de Gruyte, 1996, pp. 65-86.
[18] B. S. Hartford, and K. Bradovi-Harlig, "Experimental and observational
data in the study of interlanguage pragmatics," in Pragmatics and Language Learning, Vol. 3, L. Bouton and Y. Kachru Eds. Urbana-
Champaign, Illinois: Division of English as an International Language,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1992, pp. 33-52.
[19] G. Q. Tran, "Revisioning methodologies in cross-cultural and interlanguage pragmatics," English. Edu: Journal of Language Teaching and Research, vo. 4, ED-1, pp. 25-49, 2004.
[20] S. Blum-Kulka, J. House, and G. Kasper, Cross-Cultural Pragmatics:
Requests and Apologie, Norwood, New Jersey: Ablex, 1989.
[21] A. D Cohen, "Investigating the production of speech act sets," in Speech Acts across Cultures: Challenges to Communication in a Second Language, S. M. Gass and J. Neu Eds. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 1996, pp. 21-43.
[22] G. Kasper, and C. Rover, "Pragmatics in second language learning," in
Handbook of Research in Second Language Learning and Teaching, E.
Hinkel Ed. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum 2005, pp. 317-334.
[23] K., Bardovi-Harlig, and B. Hartford, "Institutional discourse and
interlanguage pragmatic research," in Interlanguage Pragmatics:
Exploring Institutional Talk K. Bardovi-Harlig and B. Hartford Eds.
Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 2004, pp. 7-36.
[24] D. Boxer, "Ethnographic interviewing as a research tool in speech act
analysis: the case of complaints," in Speech Acts Across Cultures:
Challenges to Communication in a Second Language, S. M. Gass and J.
Neu Eds. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 1996, 217-240.
[25] A. Golato, "Studying compliment responses: A Comparison of DCTs
and recordings of naturally occurring talk," Applied Linguistics, vol. 24
ED-1, pp.90-121, 2003.
[26] A. Mackey, and S. Gass, Second Language Research: Methodology and
Design, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2005.
[27] E. Rintell, and C. J. Mitchell, "Studying requests and apologies: an
inquiry into method," in Cross-Cultural Pragmatics: Requests and
Apologies, S. Blum-Kulka, J. House and G. Kasper Eds. Norwood, New
Jersey: Ablex 1989, pp. 248-272.
[28] S Al-Gahtani, and C. Roever, "Proficiency and Sequential Organization
of L2 Requests," Applied Linguistics, vol. 33 ED-1: pp. 42-65, 2012.
[29] C. Félix-Brasdefer, "Pragmatic development in the Spanish as a FL
classroom: A cross-sectional study of learner requests," Intercultural
Pragmatics, vol. 4, ED-2, pp. 253-286, 2007.
[30] A. Trosborg, Interlanguage Pragmatics: Requests, Complaints And
Apologies, Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 1995.
[31] K. R. Rose, "An exploratory cross-sectional study on interlanguage
pragmatic development," Studies on Second Language Acquisition, vol.
22, pp. 27-67, 2000.
[32] G. Kasper, "Beyond repair: Conversation analysis as an approach to
SLA," AILA Review, vol. 19, pp. 83-9, 2006.
[33] K. R. Rose, "On the validity of discourse completion tests in non-
Western contexts," Applied Linguistics, vol. 15, pp. 1-14, 1994.
[34] S. Al-Gahtani, and C. Roever, " Speech act coding in interlanguage
pragmatics: Validating a developmentally sensitive measure," in the
American Association of Applied Linguistics Conf., Denver, Colorado,
USA, unpublished.
[35] H. Sacks, E. Schegloff, and G. Jefferson, "A simplest systematics for the
organization of turn-taking for conversation," Language, vol. 50 ED-4,
pp. 696-735, 1974.
[36] S. Biesenbach-Lucas, "Making requests in e-mail: Do cyberconsultations
entail directness?" in Pragmatics Language Learning K.
Bardovi-Harlig, C. Félix-Brasdefer and A. Omar Eds. Honolulu:
University of Hawaii Press, 2006, pp. 81-108.
[37] C. Iwai, and C. Rinnert, "Cross-cultural comparison of strategic
realization of pragmatic competence: Implications for learning world
Englishes," Hiroshima Journal of International Studies, vol. 7, pp. 157-
181, 2001.
[38] K. Bardovi-Harlig, and B. S. Hartford, "Congruence in native and
nonnative conversations: Status balance in the academic advising
session," Language Learning, vol. 40 ED-4, pp. 467-501, 1990.
[39] K. Bardovi-Harlig, and B. S. Hartford, 'Learning the rules of academic
talk: A longitudinal study of pragmatic development" Studies in Second
Language Acquisition, vol. 15, pp. 279-304, 1993.
[40] K. Bardovi-Harlig, and B. S. Hartford, "Input in an institutional setting,"
Studies in Second Language Acquisition, vol. 18, pp. 171-188, 1996.
[41] Y.-J. Rue, and G. Q. Zhang, Request Strategies: A Comparative Study in
Mandarin Chinese and Korean, Amsterdam: Benjamins, 2008.
[42] R. Bataller, "Making a request for a service in Spanish: Pragmatic
development, in the study abroad setting," Foreign Language Annals,
vol. 43 ED-1, pp. 160-175, 2010.
[43] P B Franch, and N Lorenzo-Dus, “Natural vs. elicited data in crosscultural
speech act realisation: The case of requests in Peninsular
Spanish and British English,” Spanish in Context, vol. 5 ED-2, pp. 246–
277, 2008.
[44] A. D. Cohen, and E. Olshtain, "Researching the production of second
language speech acts," in Research Methodology in Second-Language
Acquisition, E. E. Tarone, S. M. Gass, and A. D. Cohen Eds. Hillsdale,
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates 1994, pp. 143-156.
[1] J. Mey, Pragmatics: An Introduction, Cambridge, Massachusetts:
Blackwell Publishers, 2001.
[2] D. Crystal, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. New York, Cambridge University Press, 1997.
[3] J. Reinecke, Language and Dialect in Hawaii. University of Hawaii
Press, Honolulu, Hawai, 1969.
[4] L. Selinker "Interlanguage," International Journal of Intercultural
Relations, vo. 10, pp. 209-231, 1972.
[5] D. Larsen-Freeman, and M. H. Long, An Introduction to Second
Language Acquisition Research, New York: Longma, 1994.
[6] G. Kasper, "Pragmatic Transfer". Second Language Research, vo. 8 ED-
3, pp. 203-231, 1992.
[7] G. Kasper, and S. Blum-Kulka, Interlanguage Pragmatics. New York:
Oxford University Press, 1993.
[8] G. Kasper, and M. Dahl, "Research methods in interlanguage
pragmatics," Studies in Second Language Acquisition, v. 13, pp. 215-
247, 1991.
[9] G. Kasper, and K. R. Rose, "Pragmatics and second language
acquisition," Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, v. 19, pp. 81-104, 1999.
[10] M. Achiba, Learning to Request in a Second Language: Child
Interlanguage Pragmatics, Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters,
2003.
[11] G. Kasper, and K. R. Rose, Pragmatic Development in a Second
Language. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2002.
[12] G. Kasper, and R. Schmidt, "Developmental issues in interlanguage
pragmatics," Studies on Second Language Acquisition, v. 18, pp. 149-
169, 1996.
[13] N. Houck, and S. M. Gass, "Non-native refusals: A methodological
perspective," in Speech Acts Across Cultures: Challenges to
Communication in a Second Language, S. M. Gass and J. Neu Eds.
Berlin: Mouton de Gruyte, 1996, pp. 45-64.
[14] C. Félix-Brasdefer, "Natural speech vs. elicited data: A comparison of
natural and role requests in Mexican Spanish," Spanish in Context, vol.
4, ED-2, pp. 159-185, 2007.
[15] D. Boxer, Complaining and Commiserating: A Speech Act View of
Solidarity in Spoken American English, New York: Peter Lang, 1993.
[16] J. Bodman, and M. Eisenstein, "May God increase your bounty: The
expression of gratitude in English by native and nonnative speakers,"
Cross Currents, v. 15, pp. 1-21, 1988.
[17] L. M. Beebe, and M. C. Cummings, "Natural speech act data versus
written questionnaire data: How data collection method affects speech
act performance," in Speech Acts Across Cultures: Challenges to
Communication in a Second Language, S. M. Gass and J. Neu Eds.
Berlin: Mouton de Gruyte, 1996, pp. 65-86.
[18] B. S. Hartford, and K. Bradovi-Harlig, "Experimental and observational
data in the study of interlanguage pragmatics," in Pragmatics and Language Learning, Vol. 3, L. Bouton and Y. Kachru Eds. Urbana-
Champaign, Illinois: Division of English as an International Language,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1992, pp. 33-52.
[19] G. Q. Tran, "Revisioning methodologies in cross-cultural and interlanguage pragmatics," English. Edu: Journal of Language Teaching and Research, vo. 4, ED-1, pp. 25-49, 2004.
[20] S. Blum-Kulka, J. House, and G. Kasper, Cross-Cultural Pragmatics:
Requests and Apologie, Norwood, New Jersey: Ablex, 1989.
[21] A. D Cohen, "Investigating the production of speech act sets," in Speech Acts across Cultures: Challenges to Communication in a Second Language, S. M. Gass and J. Neu Eds. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 1996, pp. 21-43.
[22] G. Kasper, and C. Rover, "Pragmatics in second language learning," in
Handbook of Research in Second Language Learning and Teaching, E.
Hinkel Ed. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum 2005, pp. 317-334.
[23] K., Bardovi-Harlig, and B. Hartford, "Institutional discourse and
interlanguage pragmatic research," in Interlanguage Pragmatics:
Exploring Institutional Talk K. Bardovi-Harlig and B. Hartford Eds.
Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 2004, pp. 7-36.
[24] D. Boxer, "Ethnographic interviewing as a research tool in speech act
analysis: the case of complaints," in Speech Acts Across Cultures:
Challenges to Communication in a Second Language, S. M. Gass and J.
Neu Eds. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 1996, 217-240.
[25] A. Golato, "Studying compliment responses: A Comparison of DCTs
and recordings of naturally occurring talk," Applied Linguistics, vol. 24
ED-1, pp.90-121, 2003.
[26] A. Mackey, and S. Gass, Second Language Research: Methodology and
Design, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2005.
[27] E. Rintell, and C. J. Mitchell, "Studying requests and apologies: an
inquiry into method," in Cross-Cultural Pragmatics: Requests and
Apologies, S. Blum-Kulka, J. House and G. Kasper Eds. Norwood, New
Jersey: Ablex 1989, pp. 248-272.
[28] S Al-Gahtani, and C. Roever, "Proficiency and Sequential Organization
of L2 Requests," Applied Linguistics, vol. 33 ED-1: pp. 42-65, 2012.
[29] C. Félix-Brasdefer, "Pragmatic development in the Spanish as a FL
classroom: A cross-sectional study of learner requests," Intercultural
Pragmatics, vol. 4, ED-2, pp. 253-286, 2007.
[30] A. Trosborg, Interlanguage Pragmatics: Requests, Complaints And
Apologies, Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 1995.
[31] K. R. Rose, "An exploratory cross-sectional study on interlanguage
pragmatic development," Studies on Second Language Acquisition, vol.
22, pp. 27-67, 2000.
[32] G. Kasper, "Beyond repair: Conversation analysis as an approach to
SLA," AILA Review, vol. 19, pp. 83-9, 2006.
[33] K. R. Rose, "On the validity of discourse completion tests in non-
Western contexts," Applied Linguistics, vol. 15, pp. 1-14, 1994.
[34] S. Al-Gahtani, and C. Roever, " Speech act coding in interlanguage
pragmatics: Validating a developmentally sensitive measure," in the
American Association of Applied Linguistics Conf., Denver, Colorado,
USA, unpublished.
[35] H. Sacks, E. Schegloff, and G. Jefferson, "A simplest systematics for the
organization of turn-taking for conversation," Language, vol. 50 ED-4,
pp. 696-735, 1974.
[36] S. Biesenbach-Lucas, "Making requests in e-mail: Do cyberconsultations
entail directness?" in Pragmatics Language Learning K.
Bardovi-Harlig, C. Félix-Brasdefer and A. Omar Eds. Honolulu:
University of Hawaii Press, 2006, pp. 81-108.
[37] C. Iwai, and C. Rinnert, "Cross-cultural comparison of strategic
realization of pragmatic competence: Implications for learning world
Englishes," Hiroshima Journal of International Studies, vol. 7, pp. 157-
181, 2001.
[38] K. Bardovi-Harlig, and B. S. Hartford, "Congruence in native and
nonnative conversations: Status balance in the academic advising
session," Language Learning, vol. 40 ED-4, pp. 467-501, 1990.
[39] K. Bardovi-Harlig, and B. S. Hartford, 'Learning the rules of academic
talk: A longitudinal study of pragmatic development" Studies in Second
Language Acquisition, vol. 15, pp. 279-304, 1993.
[40] K. Bardovi-Harlig, and B. S. Hartford, "Input in an institutional setting,"
Studies in Second Language Acquisition, vol. 18, pp. 171-188, 1996.
[41] Y.-J. Rue, and G. Q. Zhang, Request Strategies: A Comparative Study in
Mandarin Chinese and Korean, Amsterdam: Benjamins, 2008.
[42] R. Bataller, "Making a request for a service in Spanish: Pragmatic
development, in the study abroad setting," Foreign Language Annals,
vol. 43 ED-1, pp. 160-175, 2010.
[43] P B Franch, and N Lorenzo-Dus, “Natural vs. elicited data in crosscultural
speech act realisation: The case of requests in Peninsular
Spanish and British English,” Spanish in Context, vol. 5 ED-2, pp. 246–
277, 2008.
[44] A. D. Cohen, and E. Olshtain, "Researching the production of second
language speech acts," in Research Methodology in Second-Language
Acquisition, E. E. Tarone, S. M. Gass, and A. D. Cohen Eds. Hillsdale,
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates 1994, pp. 143-156.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:55909", author = "Saad Al-Gahtani and Ghassan H Al Shatter", title = "Multimethod Approach to Research in Interlanguage Pragmatics", abstract = "Argument over the use of particular method in interlanguage pragmatics has increased recently. Researchers argued the advantages and disadvantages of each method either natural or elicited. Findings of different studies indicated that the use of one method may not provide enough data to answer all its questions. The current study investigated the validity of using multimethod approach in interlanguage pragmatics to understand the development of requests in Arabic as a second language (Arabic L2). To this end, the study adopted two methods belong to two types of data sources: the institutional discourse (natural data), and the role play (elicited data). Participants were 117 learners of Arabic L2 at the university level, representing four levels (beginners, low-intermediate, highintermediate, and advanced). Results showed that using two or more methods in interlanguage pragmatics affect the size and nature of data.
", keywords = "Arabic L2, Development of requests, Interlanguage Pragmatics, Multimethod approach.", volume = "6", number = "11", pages = "3038-9", }
