Context within Context: Invitation-refusals and Apologies by Heritage Learners of Spanish through the Lens of Intercultural Pragmatics
Document Type
Paper Presentation
Presenter Language
English
Research Area
Bilingualism and multilingualism, pragmatics and discourse analysis, Spanish in the US
Location
MBSC Dodge Room 302
Start Date
18-10-2024 12:00 PM
End Date
18-10-2024 12:30 PM
Abstract
Raised in a bi- or multicultural background, heritage language speakers (HLSs) form a unique demographic for intercultural pragmatics. However, HLSs are relatively understudied in pragmatics literature. Research on Spanish heritage language (SHL) speakers includes requests (Pinto & Raschio, 2007), complaints (Pinto & Raschio, 2008) and refusals (Finestradt-Martínez & Potowski, 2016). Nevertheless, previous research has primarily focused on comparing SHL speakers to monolingual speakers as opposed to analyzing SHL speakers as they interact with other members of their linguistic and cultural community (Dubinina, 2021).
The present study investigated how SHL speakers negotiated interaction when realizing invitation-refusals and apologies through a sociocognitive approach (Kecskes, 2014). This theoretical framework considers prior context and actual situational context when analyzing the interactions between the SHL speakers. Participants were Mexican American second-generation SHL speakers enrolled in an advanced SHL course, and the data was collected via open role-plays and verbal reports. The instructions and prompts were written in Spanish and English, but the participants were instructed to use and/or combine any language. The role-plays included three situations: going to a movie (invitation-refusal), missing a birthday party, and scratching a friend’s car (apology).
For invitation-refusals, prior cultural awareness of re-inviting and insistence influenced their performance (e.g. accept the invitation). Additionally, verbal reports showed that their relationship with their partner prior to interaction and personal preferences influenced their interaction. Regarding apologies, offering to resolve the situation was an important cultural component and shared cultural knowledge had a facilitative effect on SHL speakers’ apologies. Role-play and verbal report results indicated that the prior context of how, when, and with whom the languages were used influenced speakers’ translanguaging. Also, a speaker’s switch between languages led their partner to switch, showing the relationship between translanguaging and the actual situational context.
Raised in a bi- or multicultural background, heritage language speakers (HLSs) form a unique demographic for intercultural pragmatics. However, HLSs are relatively understudied in pragmatics literature. Research on Spanish heritage language (SHL) speakers includes requests (Pinto & Raschio, 2007), complaints (Pinto & Raschio, 2008) and refusals (Finestradt-Martínez & Potowski, 2016). Nevertheless, previous research has primarily focused on comparing SHL speakers to monolingual speakers as opposed to analyzing SHL speakers as they interact with other members of their linguistic and cultural community (Dubinina, 2021).
The present study investigated how SHL speakers negotiated interaction when realizing invitation-refusals and apologies through a sociocognitive approach (Kecskes, 2014). This theoretical framework considers prior context and actual situational context when analyzing the interactions between the SHL speakers. Participants were Mexican American second-generation SHL speakers enrolled in an advanced SHL course, and the data were collected via open role-plays and verbal reports. The instructions and prompts were written in Spanish and English, but the participants were instructed to use and/or combine either language. The role-plays included three situations: going to a movie (invitation-refusal), missing a birthday party, and scratching a friend’s car (apology).
For invitation-refusals, prior cultural awareness of re-inviting and insistence influenced their performance (e.g. accept the invitation). Additionally, verbal reports showed that their relationship with their partner prior to interaction and personal preferences influenced their interaction. Regarding apologies, offering to resolve the situation was an important cultural component and shared cultural knowledge had a facilitative effect on SHL speakers’ apologies. Role-play and verbal report results indicated that the prior context of how, when, and with whom the languages were used influenced speakers’ translanguaging. Also, a speaker’s switch between languages led their partner to switch, showing the relationship between translanguaging and the actual situational context.
The present study demonstrates through intercultural pragmatics how SHL speakers utilize their cultural awareness, prior and actual situational contexts, and translanguaging. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of the heterogeneity of SHL speakers in the classroom. Finally, the study encourages researchers and practitioners to recognize SHL speakers’ own linguistic and cultural communities in the design of research and pedagogical materials.
Context within Context: Invitation-refusals and Apologies by Heritage Learners of Spanish through the Lens of Intercultural Pragmatics
MBSC Dodge Room 302
Raised in a bi- or multicultural background, heritage language speakers (HLSs) form a unique demographic for intercultural pragmatics. However, HLSs are relatively understudied in pragmatics literature. Research on Spanish heritage language (SHL) speakers includes requests (Pinto & Raschio, 2007), complaints (Pinto & Raschio, 2008) and refusals (Finestradt-Martínez & Potowski, 2016). Nevertheless, previous research has primarily focused on comparing SHL speakers to monolingual speakers as opposed to analyzing SHL speakers as they interact with other members of their linguistic and cultural community (Dubinina, 2021).
The present study investigated how SHL speakers negotiated interaction when realizing invitation-refusals and apologies through a sociocognitive approach (Kecskes, 2014). This theoretical framework considers prior context and actual situational context when analyzing the interactions between the SHL speakers. Participants were Mexican American second-generation SHL speakers enrolled in an advanced SHL course, and the data was collected via open role-plays and verbal reports. The instructions and prompts were written in Spanish and English, but the participants were instructed to use and/or combine any language. The role-plays included three situations: going to a movie (invitation-refusal), missing a birthday party, and scratching a friend’s car (apology).
For invitation-refusals, prior cultural awareness of re-inviting and insistence influenced their performance (e.g. accept the invitation). Additionally, verbal reports showed that their relationship with their partner prior to interaction and personal preferences influenced their interaction. Regarding apologies, offering to resolve the situation was an important cultural component and shared cultural knowledge had a facilitative effect on SHL speakers’ apologies. Role-play and verbal report results indicated that the prior context of how, when, and with whom the languages were used influenced speakers’ translanguaging. Also, a speaker’s switch between languages led their partner to switch, showing the relationship between translanguaging and the actual situational context.
Raised in a bi- or multicultural background, heritage language speakers (HLSs) form a unique demographic for intercultural pragmatics. However, HLSs are relatively understudied in pragmatics literature. Research on Spanish heritage language (SHL) speakers includes requests (Pinto & Raschio, 2007), complaints (Pinto & Raschio, 2008) and refusals (Finestradt-Martínez & Potowski, 2016). Nevertheless, previous research has primarily focused on comparing SHL speakers to monolingual speakers as opposed to analyzing SHL speakers as they interact with other members of their linguistic and cultural community (Dubinina, 2021).
The present study investigated how SHL speakers negotiated interaction when realizing invitation-refusals and apologies through a sociocognitive approach (Kecskes, 2014). This theoretical framework considers prior context and actual situational context when analyzing the interactions between the SHL speakers. Participants were Mexican American second-generation SHL speakers enrolled in an advanced SHL course, and the data were collected via open role-plays and verbal reports. The instructions and prompts were written in Spanish and English, but the participants were instructed to use and/or combine either language. The role-plays included three situations: going to a movie (invitation-refusal), missing a birthday party, and scratching a friend’s car (apology).
For invitation-refusals, prior cultural awareness of re-inviting and insistence influenced their performance (e.g. accept the invitation). Additionally, verbal reports showed that their relationship with their partner prior to interaction and personal preferences influenced their interaction. Regarding apologies, offering to resolve the situation was an important cultural component and shared cultural knowledge had a facilitative effect on SHL speakers’ apologies. Role-play and verbal report results indicated that the prior context of how, when, and with whom the languages were used influenced speakers’ translanguaging. Also, a speaker’s switch between languages led their partner to switch, showing the relationship between translanguaging and the actual situational context.
The present study demonstrates through intercultural pragmatics how SHL speakers utilize their cultural awareness, prior and actual situational contexts, and translanguaging. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of the heterogeneity of SHL speakers in the classroom. Finally, the study encourages researchers and practitioners to recognize SHL speakers’ own linguistic and cultural communities in the design of research and pedagogical materials.