In:L2 Pragmatics in Action: Teachers, learners and the teaching-learning interaction process
Edited by Alicia Martínez-Flor, Ariadna Sánchez-Hernández and Júlia Barón
[Language Learning & Language Teaching 58] 2023
► pp. 215–239
Chapter 9Language attitude effects on L2 pragmatics
Published online: 12 April 2023
https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.58.09sen
https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.58.09sen
This chapter explores the relationship between second language (L2) pragmatic competence and language attitude, an individual difference (ID) that has received scant attention in the field of Interlanguage Pragmatics. Additionally, it examines the role instruction may play in such a relationship, drawing from the idea that instruction in the foreign language context may guide students’ language attitudes and in turn enhance their L2 pragmatic skills. Seventy-three English as a Foreign Language students completed a questionnaire about attitude towards English as an International Language, and gave academic oral presentations that elicited the use of pragmatic markers. Moreover, a subset of 34 students received instruction on L2 pragmatics from an English as an International Language perspective. The results revealed an interplay among language attitude, instruction and L2 pragmatic competence which highlights the importance of focusing on students’ IDs to maximise their pragmatic learning.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Literature review
- 2.1Language attitude
- 2.2Language attitude and L2 pragmatics
- 3.Methodology
- 3.1Participants
- 3.2Procedure
- 3.3The target pragmatic feature: Pragmatic markers
- 3.4Instruments
- 3.4.1Language attitude questionnaire
- 3.4.2Oral presentations
- 3.5Pedagogical intervention
- 3.6Data analysis
- 4.Results and discussion
- 4.1Relationship between language attitude and L2 pragmatic competence
- 4.2Effects of instruction on language attitude and L2 pragmatic competence
- 5.Conclusions
- 5.1Limitations and future directions
- 5.2Pedagogical implications
References Appendix
References (39)
Aijmer, K. (2013). Understanding pragmatic markers: A variational pragmatic approach. Edinburgh University Press.
Blum-Kulka, S., House, J., & Kasper, G. (1989). Cross-cultural pragmatics: Requests and apologies. Ablex.
Council of Europe. (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Cambridge University Press.
Dalton-Puffer, C., Kaltenboeck, G., & Smit, U. (1997). Learner attitudes and L2 pronunciation in Austria. World Englishes, 16(1), 115–128.
Davis, J McE. (2007). Resistance to L2 pragmatics in the Australian ESL context. Language Learning, 57(4), 611–649.
Dörnyei, Z. (2009). The L2 motivational self system. In D. Zoltán, & E. Ushioda (Eds.), Motivation, language identity and the L2 self (pp. 9–42). Multilingual Matters.
Gardner, R. C., & Lambert, W. E. (1972). Attitudes and motivation in second-language learning. Newbury House.
House, J. (2012). Teaching oral skills in English as a lingua franca. In L. Alsagoff, S. L. Mckay, G. Hu, G., & W. A. Renandya (Eds.), Principles and practices for teaching English as an international language (pp. 186–205). Routledge.
Istiyani, E. (2014). Second language learners’ attitudes and strategies in learning English as a foreign language. Jurnal Penelitian Humaniora, 15(2), 99–110.
Kasper, G., & Schmidt, R. (1996). Developmental issues in interlanguage pragmatics. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 18, 149–169.
Ladegaard, H. J., & Sachdev, I. (2006). ‘I like the Americans… But I certainly don’t aim for an American accent’: Language attitudes, vitality and foreign language learning in Denmark. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 27(2), 91–108.
Lennartsson, F. (2008). Students' motivation and attitudes towards learning a second language: British and Swedish students' points of view. Retrieved on 14 November 2022 from [URL]
Liu, Y. (2014). Motivation and attitude: Two important non-intelligence factors to arouse students’ potentialities in learning English. Creative Education, 5, 1249–1253.
Llurda, E. (2009). Attitudes towards English as an international language: The pervasiveness of native models among L2 users and teachers. In F. Sharifian (Ed.), English as an international language. Perspectives and pedagogical issues (pp. 119–134). Multilingual Matters.
LoCastro, V. (2001). Individual differences in second language acquisition: Attitudes, learner subjectivity, and L2 pragmatic norms. System, 29, 69–89.
Marefat, F., & Pakzadian, M. (2018). Attitudes towards English as an International Language (EIL) in Iran: Development and validation of a new model and questionnaire. Iranian Journal of Applied Language Studies, 9(1), 127–154.
Martín-Laguna, S. (2020). Tasks, pragmatics and multilingualism in the classroom: A portrait of adolescent writing in multiple languages. Multilingual Matters.
Matsuda, A. (2012). Teaching materials in EIL. In L. Alsagoff, S. L. McKay, G. Hu, & W. A. Renandya (Eds.), Principles and practices for teaching English as an international language (pp. 168–85). Routledge.
McKay, S. (2009). Pragmatics and EIL pedagogy. In F. Sharifian (Ed.), English as an international language: Perspectives and pedagogical issues (pp. 227–241). Multilingual Matters.
Portolés, L. (2015). Multilingualism and very young learners: An analysis of pragmatic awareness and language attitudes. Mouton De Gruyter.
Romero-Trillo, J. (2012). Pragmatic markers. In C. Carol (Ed.), Encyclopedia of applied linguistics (pp. 4522–4528). Wiley-Blackwell.
Safont, M. P. (2013). Early stages of trilingual pragmatic development. A longitudinal study of requests in Catalan, Spanish and English. Journal of Pragmatics, 59, 68–80.
Sánchez-Hernández, A. (2018). A mixed-methods study of the impact of sociocultural adaptation on the development of pragmatic production. System, 75, 93–105.
Sánchez-Hernández, A., & Alcón-Soler, E. (2021). Pragmatic instruction in English as an International Language. In Z. Tajeddin, & M. Alemi (Eds.), Pragmatics pedagogy in English as an International Language (pp. 95–116). Routledge.
Sánchez-Hernández, A., & Barón, J. (2022). Teaching second language pragmatics in the current era of globalization: An introduction. Language Teaching Research, 26(2), 163–170.
Sánchez-Hernández, A., & Herraiz-Martínez, A. (Eds.). (2018). Learning second language pragmatics beyond traditional contexts. Peter Lang.
Sánchez-Hernández, A., & Martínez-Flor, A. (2021). Teaching the pragmatics of English as an International Language (EIL): A focus on pragmatic markers. Language Teaching Research, 26(2), 256–278.
Taguchi, N., & Ishihara, N. (2018). The pragmatics of English as a Lingua Franca: Research and pedagogy in the era of globalization. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 38, 80–101.
Taguchi, M. Kostromitina, M., & Wheeler, H. (2022). Individual difference factors for second language pragmatics. In S. Li, P. Hiver, & M. Papi (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of second language acquisition and individual differences (pp. 310–330). Routledge.
Tajeddin, Z., & Alemi, M. (Eds.). (2021). Pragmatics pedagogy in English as an international language. Taylor & Francis.
Takahashi, S. (2019). Individual learner considerations in SLA and L2 pragmatics. In N. Taguchi (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of second language acquisition and pragmatics (pp. 429–443). Routledge.
(2015). The effect of learner profiles on pragmalinguistic awareness and learning. System, 48, 48–61.
(2005). Pragmalinguistic awareness: Is it related to motivation and proficiency? Applied Linguistics, 26, 90–120.
Tanaka, F. (2010). A survey-based study of Japanese university student’ attitudes toward EIL and implications for the future of English education in Japan. Asian Englishes, 13(1), 48–71. .
Tódor, E. M., & Dégi, Z. (2016). Language attitudes, language learning experiences and individual strategies. What does school offer and what does it lack? Acta Universitatis Sapientiae, Philologica, 8(2), 123–137.
Yang, H., & Ren, W. (2020). Pragmatic awareness and second language learning motivation: A mixed-methods investigation. Pragmatics and Cognition, 26(2/3), 455–483.
Cited by (1)
Cited by one other publication
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 26 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.
