Pragmatic Competence in English Language Textbooks

master's thesis

• Title: Pragmatic Competence in English Language Textbooks : Focus on Speech Acts
• Title (croatian): Pragmatička kompetencija u udžbenicima engleskog jezika : Govorni činovi
• Author: Lara Bengez Hanžek
• Mentor: Marina Grubišić (mentor)
• Committee member: Janja Čulig (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Mateusz-Milan Stanojević (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2022-11-24, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

Pragmatic competence is essential for effective communication and constitutes one of the core components of person’s communicative competence (see Canale and Swain, 1980 and Bachman and Palmer, 1996). It is seen as “the knowledge that speakers use to engage in communication” and it includes a successful and appropriate use of speech acts (Thomas, 1983). Searle (1969) defined speech acts as “basic or minimal units of linguistic communications” and complicated associations between utterances (p.16). Understanding and using speech acts appropriately has often been a stumbling block in learning a foreign language. Learners have difficulty understanding the intended meaning communicated by a speech act or producing a speech act using appropriate language and manner. However, research has shown that classroom instruction can help learners improve their performance of speech acts and, as a result, their interactions with native speakers.
The aim of this thesis was to investigate the amount and presentation of pragmatic content in three EFL textbooks used in Croatian high school programs. The study sought to explore the quantity and quality of speech acts presented in the textbooks and paid special attention to their treatment. The results showed that speech acts are rather underrepresented in the textbooks and that there is a limited number of ways in which speech acts are presented to the students.

• Keywords: communicative competence; pragmatic competence; pragmatic content; speech acts; textbooks
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:111049
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: TEFL; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra edukacije engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra edukacije engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Access restricted to students and staff of home institution
• Created on: 2022-11-29 14:42:54