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

Sang-Gu Kang (강상구)

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

Sang-Gu Kang 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.

KEYWORDS

English reflexive pronouns, pragmatic influence, emergentism, Korean L2 learners of English, L2 English development

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2024 are currently being built.

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