Compared to grammatical knowledge of language (what to use), the ability to use
language appropriately depending on a context (how to use) is termed linguistic pragmatic
knowledge. Throughout the elementary school years children developmentally not only acquire
pragmatic knowledge but also increase their explicit grasp of pragmatic knowledge. This is
termed metapragmatic knowledge. It includes the ability to infer meanings that are not expressed
literally. In nonliteral uses of language, the speaker means something different from what is said.
Among such nonliteral uses of language are indirect requests and irony.
As children's metapragmatic knowledge has a positive relationship with their literate
proficiency, on which success in school depends, children can benefit from the development of
their metapragmatic knowledge in their academic achievement. The study of bilingualism has
shown that bilingualism has a positive effect on children's metalinguistic development. Can
metapragmatic knowledge be enhanced by increasing exposure to a second language (L2)?
Bilingual pupils were given two tasks in which the children's levels of metapragmatic
knowledge were investigated. The measure of metapragmatic knowledge consisted of two
assessments: (a) understanding of indirect requests, and (b) understanding of irony. Participants
listened to eight short stories in which brief interactions were presented in a multimedia,
computer-based format. After each story, participants were asked a set of questions to probe
subjects' attributions of the speaker's communicative intent and hearer's interpretation.
L2 intensity was positively associated with metapragmatic knowledge measured by
comprehension of requests. Conversely, the association between L2 intensity and metapragmatic
knowledge measured by comprehension of irony was not necessarily positive. Those who scored
higher had positive relationship between L2 intensity and their metapragmatic knowledge
whereas those who scored lower had negative relationship between L2 intensity and their
metapragmatic knowledge.
In summary, L2 intensity is not always positively associated with any type of
metapragmatic knowledge. This suggests that a larger amount of exposure to L2 is not
necessarily beneficial to children's development of metapragmatic knowledge. Therefore, it is
important to consider the levels of children's metapragmatic knowledge when planning an
increase of exposure to L2 instruction.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/11187 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Takakuwa, Mitsunori |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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