Discourse and Pragmatics: An L2 Affair to Remember

This chapter discusses the importance of conducting discourse analysis in L2 teaching and studying pragmatic norms in L2 learning. Without the knowledge about discourse and pragmatics, L2 learners might have difficulty conducting phatic communication, comprehending implicatures, performing speech acts, and appearing polite in L2 social interactions, which could lead to negative pragmatic transfer and intercultural misunderstandings. L2 learners’ motivation to interact in L2, attitude about L2 culture, or agency to accommodate or acculturate might be influenced as well. The chapter demonstrates how language teachers can analyze the L2 discourse together with L2 learners and provide pragmatics instruction to help them develop their pragmatic competence. It also displays some contextual factors that can affect L2 pragmatics learning and pedagogical activities that can promote L2 pragmatics learning.