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Article published In:
Chinese as a Second Language (漢語教學研究—美國中文教師學會學報)
Vol. 54:3 (2019) ► pp.191–220

What impacts L2 Chinese pragmatic competence in the study abroad context?

Current research and future directions

| University of Oregon

This paper reviews current literature on contributions of the study abroad context to second language (L2) Chinese pragmatics and discusses the future prospects of this rapidly growing research area. By synthesizing sixteen empirical studies on pragmatic competence in L2 Chinese in the study-abroad context, this paper answers one question: What impacts L2 Chinese pragmatic competence in the study abroad (SA) context? The findings show that the SA effect on L2 Chinese pragmatic development is mediated by seven factors including general proficiency, pre-program pragmatic competence, language exposure, intercultural competence, learner agency, linguistic affordance, and learner language and cultural background. Based on the research synthesis, this paper suggests future research directions regarding target pragmatic features, measurements, pragmatic competence in writing, and learner factors mediating study-abroad effect from a dynamic-system perspective.

Keywords: pragmatic competence, L2 Chinese, L2 pragmatics, study abroad
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background
    • 2.1Key concepts
      • Pragmatic competence
      • Study-abroad context
    • 2.2Relevant major theories of L2 pragmatics
    • 2.3Relevant major findings of L2 pragmatics in the SA context
    • 2.4Relevant reviews on L2 Chinese pragmatics in the SA context
  • 3.Method
    • Inclusion/exclusion criteria
    • Coding of studies
  • 4.Syntheses of research targets and methods
  • 5.The effect of the SA context and related factors
    • 5.1Duration of study abroad
    • 5.2General proficiency
    • 5.3Initial-level pragmatic competence
    • 5.4Language exposure
    • 5.5Intercultural competence
    • 5.6Learner agency and linguistic affordance
    • 5.7Learner language and cultural background
  • 6.Conclusion and future research direction
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 28 August 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/csl.18001.lan
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