Pragmatic Failures in Intercultural Communication: Evidence from Jordan
Aim. This paper investigates the pragmatic errors of Jordanian EFL learners from a cultural perspective on communication. It is suggested that pragmatics, or the study of how language is used in context, plays a crucial role in L2 learners’ communicative skills. Thus, the research aims to provide a...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Pereiaslav-Khmelnytsky Hryhorii Skovoroda State Pedagogical University
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Психолінгвістика |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://psycholing-journal.com/index.php/journal/article/view/1511 |
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| Summary: | Aim. This paper investigates the pragmatic errors of Jordanian EFL learners from a cultural perspective on communication. It is suggested that pragmatics, or the study of how language is used in context, plays a crucial role in L2 learners’ communicative skills. Thus, the research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how the lack of pragmatic competence can lead to communication breakdowns and pragmatic failure. In this study, the researchers examine the pragmatic errors such as misunderstandings produced by these learners.
Method. A qualitative approach was employed, the data were collected from conversations between teacher and Jordanian students and informal conversation through a focus group discussion taking place inside classrooms. The data were analyzed qualitatively in light of Austin’s (1962) Speech Act Theory, categorizing the data into direct and indirect speech act, and Brown & Levinson’s (1987) Politeness Theory, by determining the category of politeness -positive, negative, off-record, bald-on record or Not Applicable- for each speech act.
Results. The results showed that despite having a strong grasp of English grammar rules, without effective communication skills in English, EFL learners may struggle to interact with native speakers and fully participate in social and professional interactions. Learners with greater exposure to cultural materials and interactions with native speakers demonstrated fewer pragmatic errors. A recurrent theme in the data was also the learners’ struggle with indirect speech acts. The main contribution of this paper is that it explores how pragmatic failure hinders message interpretation and obstructs communication. |
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| ISSN: | 2309-1797 2415-3397 |