Culture and Identity in the Learning of L2 Pragmatics during Study Abroad: A Longitudinal Narrative Study of Five Chinese Students Sojourning in the UK

This doctoral project investigates how five Chinese students in the UK develop L2 pragmatics throughout their year of study abroad, and how pragmatics learning relates to the learners’ development of identity and intercultural awareness. It is motivated by my personal awareness of the challenges international students face when negotiating interactions in a second language and within a new sociocultural context. With qualitative data generated through interviews and learning journals over one academic year, this study identifies moments when students tend to notice gaps in their L2 pragmatic knowledge and learning strategies. Findings also indicate a bidirectional influence between L2 pragmatics learning and development of identity and cultural perspectives: learners’ noticing, interpretation and use of L2 pragmatics are influenced by identity-related factors, including internalised cultural values, desired interpersonal relationships, and perceived foreigner and ELF identities. In return, exposure to new L2 pragmatic features can prompt learner reflection on the sociocultural significance underlying different pragmatic use, which may then lead to development of identity and intercultural awareness. This research makes an original contribution to the existing work on L2 pragmatics learning by viewing learners studying abroad as rounded people and expanding the focus of SLA research within the study context from how learners develop L2 linguistic proficiency to how L2 learning fosters learners’ development in more holistic terms. It also generates insight into how ESL/EFL instructors and higher education institutions might help international students find their place in their adopted communities through providing pragmatic-specific support.