For non-native speakers of English, mastery of the spoken language is often more difficult than writing. This may be due to various factors, such as appropriate input and opportunities to speak if English is learnt in a foreign language setting. At the same time, achieving a high level of oral proficiency in a second language is often linked to cultural and pragmatic understandings of speech conventions, including turn taking. Thus, an understanding of language beyond lexicogrammatical rules (e.g. pragmatics) is extremely important for English language learners. Pragmatic competence of discourse markers in speech, for example, is an important but difficult skill for non-native speakers to master in order to have appropriate control of their language during conversations. This presentation therefore examines discourse markers usage between a non-native and native speaker of English through a case study interaction. Possible discrepancies in pragmatic understandings of these linguistic units will be discussed, highlighting issues that non-native speakers and teachers should pay attention to.

Authors:
Rickey Lu, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Rickey Lu is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Kong

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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