@article{ART003354682},
author={Andrew White},
title={The Pruning of Passive Recipiency: A Comparative Study of Weak Continuer Usage Among Korean EFL Learners and Native English Speakers},
journal={The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea},
issn={1226-4822},
year={2026},
volume={34},
number={2},
pages={233-265}
TY - JOUR
AU - Andrew White
TI - The Pruning of Passive Recipiency: A Comparative Study of Weak Continuer Usage Among Korean EFL Learners and Native English Speakers
JO - The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea
PY - 2026
VL - 34
IS - 2
PB - The Sociolinguistic Society Of Korea
SP - 233
EP - 265
SN - 1226-4822
AB - The production of weak continuers is a vital yet under-researched component of interactional competence within discourse marker (DM) research. This study investigates the intersection of language immersion and sociocultural transfer by examining the active listening behaviors in three distinct cohorts: Korean high-level EFL learners with no abroad residence experience (NA), Korean learners with significant immersion in English-speaking environments (A), and native English speakers (N). Utilizing an information-exchange and a decision-making task, the research analyzes the frequency and pragmatic functioning of vocalic tokens (mmm, mm-hmm, uh-huh). Findings indicate that the NA group produced a significantly higher volume of tokens (45.1%), reflecting a sociocultural "supportive burden" transferred from L1 Korean norms. In contrast, the N and A groups demonstrated a more streamlined interactional style, prioritizing targeted "go-ahead" signals over passive recipiency. Crucially, the A group exhibited a "pruning" effect, where prolonged exposure to native-speaker norms facilitated a recalibration of listener behavior toward target-language benchmarks. Furthermore, task complexity acted as a pragmatic filter; learners significantly reduced feedback under high cognitive loads, whereas native speakers maintained interactional stability. These results offer insights into the developmental trajectory of L2 listenership and suggest pedagogical strategies for fostering interactional fluency.
KW - discourse markers;ELT;interactional competence;task-based learning;task complexity
DO -
UR -
ER -
Andrew White. (2026). The Pruning of Passive Recipiency: A Comparative Study of Weak Continuer Usage Among Korean EFL Learners and Native English Speakers. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea, 34(2), 233-265.
Andrew White. 2026, "The Pruning of Passive Recipiency: A Comparative Study of Weak Continuer Usage Among Korean EFL Learners and Native English Speakers", The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea, vol.34, no.2 pp.233-265.
Andrew White "The Pruning of Passive Recipiency: A Comparative Study of Weak Continuer Usage Among Korean EFL Learners and Native English Speakers" The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 34.2 pp.233-265 (2026) : 233.
Andrew White. The Pruning of Passive Recipiency: A Comparative Study of Weak Continuer Usage Among Korean EFL Learners and Native English Speakers. 2026; 34(2), 233-265.
Andrew White. "The Pruning of Passive Recipiency: A Comparative Study of Weak Continuer Usage Among Korean EFL Learners and Native English Speakers" The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 34, no.2 (2026) : 233-265.
Andrew White. The Pruning of Passive Recipiency: A Comparative Study of Weak Continuer Usage Among Korean EFL Learners and Native English Speakers. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea, 34(2), 233-265.
Andrew White. The Pruning of Passive Recipiency: A Comparative Study of Weak Continuer Usage Among Korean EFL Learners and Native English Speakers. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea. 2026; 34(2) 233-265.
Andrew White. The Pruning of Passive Recipiency: A Comparative Study of Weak Continuer Usage Among Korean EFL Learners and Native English Speakers. 2026; 34(2), 233-265.
Andrew White. "The Pruning of Passive Recipiency: A Comparative Study of Weak Continuer Usage Among Korean EFL Learners and Native English Speakers" The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 34, no.2 (2026) : 233-265.
