Sociopragmatic Elements and Possible Failure in EFL Teaching

Year 2016, , 49 - 66, 01.03.2016

Nazlı Gündüz

https://doi.org/10.1501/Dilder_0000000229

Abstract

Sociopragmatics conducts studies to understand the cross-cultural diversity among different nations, in terms of verbal and non-verbal elements. It studies different perceptions of the target culture in order to minimize intercultural factors hindering a learner’s language proficiency to enable him/her interpret culturally accepted folklore, gestures, sounds, and the use of space and time correctly. This paper aims at highlighting the importance of sociopragmatic elements such as idioms, proverbs, politeness norms, clichés, and the like, as well as as paralinguistics, kinesics, and proxemics in the learning and teaching of EFL. First, it summarizes the background of sociopragmatic studies, defines the concept, illustrates and exemplifies cross-cultural differences. Then, it focuses on the importance and proper usage of sociopragmatic elements in foreign language learning and teaching to acquire sociopragmatic competence and overcome failure. Further, it emphasizes that the language teacher should try to teach non-native students of English not only what is grammatically correct but also what is socio-pragmatically appropriate to prevent the occurrence of inter-cultural misunderstandings or communication breakdowns by presenting examples

Keywords

Sociopragmatics, EFL, Kinesics

İngilizcenin Yabancı Dil Olarak Öğretiminde Sosyopragmatik Öğeler ve Olası Hatalar

Abstract

İngilizcenin Yabancı Dil Olarak Öğretiminde Sosyopragmatik Öğeler ve Olası HatalarSosyopragmatizm farklı milletlerdeki sözel ve sözel olmayan alanlardaki kültürlerarası çeşitliliği anlamak için çalışmalar yürütür. Hedef kültüre farklı pencerelerden yaklaşarak, öğrencinin yabancı dil yeterliliğini engelleyen kültürlerarası faktörleri azaltmaya; folklor, jest, ses, mekan ve zamanla ilgili olan yapıların doğru kullanımını sağlamaya çalışırlar. Bu çalışma İngilizce’nin yabancı dil olarak öğretiminde; deyim, atasözü, nezaket kuralları, sözcük kalıplarının yanı sıra paralinguistik, beden dili ve proksemik gibi sosyopragmatik unsurların önemini ortaya koyacaktır. Çalışma öncelikle sosyopragmatik çalışmayla ilgili bilgi verecek, kavramı açıklayıp, tasvir edecek ve kültürlerarası farkları örnekleyecektir. Sonrasında, yabancı dil öğrenimi ve öğretiminde, sosyopragmatik yetkinlik kazanmak ve başarısızlığı gidermek için sosyopragmatik unsurların önemine ve uygun kullanımına odaklanacaktır. Böylece, öğretmenin İngilizce öğretirken sadece dilbilgisini değil, aynı zamanda sosyopragmatik olarak doğru olan kalıpları öğretmesinin önemi vurgulanacaktır. Bu da kültürlerarası yanlış anlamaları ve iletişim hatalarının engellenmesini sağlayacaktır

Keywords

Sosyopragmatizm, Yabancı Dil, İngilizce

References

• Alptekin, C. and M. Alptekin. (1984). The question of culture: EFL teaching in non-English speaking countries. ELT Journal, 38, (1), 3-10.
• Anmer, C. (1992). The Methuen dictionary of clichés. London, Michelin House.
• Birdwhistell, R. (1970). Kinesics and context: Essays on Body Motion Communication. University of Pennsylvania, Penn Press.
• Chandler, D. (2002). The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. Retrieved 12 January 2016, from http://www. aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/whorf.html
• Cotton, G. (2013). Gestures to Avoid in Cross-Cultural Business: In Other Words, ‘Keep Your Fingers to Yourself ’ The Huffington Post. Retrieved 22 December 2015 from http://www. huffingtonpost.com/gayle-cotton/cross-cultural-gestures_b_3437653.html
• Crystal, D. (1987). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of language. Cambridge, CUP.
• Curry, D. (1986). Illustrated American idioms. Office of English Language Programs. Materials Branch. Washington, D.C.
• Dunkling, L. (1993). The Guinness book of curious phrases. London, Guinness Publishing
• Ellis (1986). Understanding second language acquisition. Oxford, OUP.
• Hall, E. T. (1966). The hidden dimensions. Garden City, New York, Doubleday.
• Holmes, J. (1992). An introduction to sociolinguistics. London, Longman.
• Kramsch, C. (1994). Culture in Language Teaching. Oxford, OUP.
• Leech, G.N. (1983). Principles of pragmatics: an introduction. London, Longman.
• Martin, G. (2016). English proverbs. Retrieved 15 August 2016, from http://www.phrases.org.uk/ meanings/proverbs.html
• Matthews, P. (2007). Concise Oxford dictionary of linguistics. Oxford, OUP
• Microsoft Encarta (2000). Folklore. CD-ROM. Redmond, Microsoft.
• Microsoft Encarta (2000). Superstitions. CD-ROM. Redmond, Microsoft.
• Nordquist, R. (2016). About Education. Retrieved in January 2016, from http://grammar.about. com/od/mo/g/Nonverbal-Communication.htm
• Politzer, R. (1959). Developing cultural understanding through foreign language study. In report of the fifth annual round table meeting on linguistics and language teaching, Washington, DC Georgetown University Press, pp. 99-105.
• Sinclair, J. (1994). Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary. Glasgow, Harper Collins Publishers.
• Smith, L. E. (1987). Discourse across cultures: Strategies in world Englishes. New York, Prentice Hall.
• Soars, L. and J. Soars (1998). New Headway Upper-Intermediate English Course. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
• Stern, K. (1998). Longman idioms dictionary. Harlow, Longman.
• Vargas, M. (1986). Louder than words. Ames, Iowa State University Press.
• Wolfson, N. (1989). Perspectives: Sociolinguistics and TESOL. New York, Newbury House.