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Pragmatic Influence in Processing L2 English Reflexive Pronouns by Korean Learners of English

  • Modern English Education
  • Abbr : MEESO
  • 2024, 25(), pp.197-211
  • Publisher : The Modern English Education Society
  • Research Area : Humanities > English Language and Literature > English Language Teaching
  • Received : June 30, 2024
  • Accepted : August 1, 2024
  • Published : August 13, 2024

Kang, Sang-Gu 1

1강릉원주대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Within the emergentist framework, which posits simple processors such as structurebased sentence-level processor and pragmatic processor at the heart of language processing, English reflexive pronoun interpretation by native Korean learners of L2 English is examined using the same test sentences in two different conditions: 1) within a single isolated sentence; and 2) within a larger story-based context. Results demonstrated that highly proficient learners tended to process English reflexives using sentence-based processor in the first condition as native speakers would, whereas the pragmatic processor seemed to interfere in the second condition leading to illicit interpretation. On the other hand, low proficiency learners did not show much difference in their English reflexive interpretations under the two conditions. Thus, contextual information influenced the way L2 English reflexive pronouns were interpreted and the degree of influence seemed to depend on L2 English proficiency levels. This observation on the development process of L2 English reflexives suggests that L2 learners ultimately settle on the sentence-level processor at the expense of a weakening pragmatic processor after starting out as competition between the two processors. Implications for classroom instruction involving English reflexive pronouns are also suggested.

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