Pragmatic competence as linguistic adaptation: Adapting linguistic resources to different listener reactions

Abstract

This study investigated L2 English speakers’ ability to adjust their pragmalinguistic strategies in response to different reactions coming from their imagined interlocutor. Participants were 65 speakers of L2 English who had different degrees of general proficiency and language use experience (beginning, advanced, and professional-level) and who were living in a non-English speaking country (Spain). All participants completed a computerized video-based role-play task individually, in which they produced a request or an apology directed to their interlocutor in pre-recorded videos. The interlocutor accepted their request or apology, but the manner of acceptance varied—positive or less positive. In the positive condition, the interlocutor appeared happy, while in the less positive condition, they looked slightly annoyed as shown by their facial expressions and hesitant manner of speaking. Results showed that higher-proficiency participants, especially those who had professional-level experience in English, tended to use different pragmalinguistic strategies corresponding to different reactions coming from their interlocutor.