Abstract
The present study investigated the effect of input enhancement on the acquisition of English politeness strategies by intermediate EFL learners. Two groups of freshman English majors were randomly assigned to the experimental (enhanced input) group and the control (mere exposure) group. Initially, a TOEFL test and a discourse completion test (DCT) ensured homogeneity of the groups in terms of general proficiency and pragmatic competence. Then, the participants received the instructional treatments on English politeness strategies (PSs). They read and listened to dialogues containing the intended PSs. The target PSs were in bold typeface in enhanced input group’s dialogue booklet and in regular font in mere exposure group’s booklet. Subsequently, the groups took the DCT posttest. The analysis of the pretest and posttest data revealed the following results: Iranian intermediate EFL learners differed from English native speakers in their use of PSs; there was a low relationship, an insignificant correlation (rxy = .25), between general proficiency and pragmatic competence (i.e. competence in English PSs) of Iranian intermediate EFL learners; and input enhancement had a significantly greater effect on the acquisition of English politeness strategies (both comprehension and use of PSs) than simple exposure to PSs. The study implies that EFL learners should be provided with a specific instruction on English PSs and PSs should be presented in a noticeable way (e.g. typographically enhanced).
Highlights
To acquire the ability to communicate effectively and successfully, language learners need to develop all aspects of communicative competence
A week later, the participants took the discourse completion test (DCT) posttest and the analysis of the results revealed the effects of the two teaching methods on the acquisition of English politeness strategies (PSs)
The Chi Square analysis comparing the range and frequency of PSs used by the native speakers and EFL learners on the written discourse completion test (WDCT) pretest revealed that there was a significant difference between the natives and learners in terms of the number of PSs they used (x2 (1) = 14.90, p = .000), though there was no significant difference between the two groups in the rage of employed PSs (x2 (1) = .004, p = .949)
Summary
To acquire the ability to communicate effectively and successfully, language learners need to develop all aspects of communicative competence. The present study pertains to linguistic politeness and aims to investigate Iranian intermediate EFL leaners’ awareness and use of English politeness strategies (PSs), relationship between general proficiency and competence in English PSs and, most importantly, the effect of www.ccsenet.org/elt. Is there any significant difference between Iranian intermediate EFL learners and English native speakers in the range, frequency and types of politeness strategies they use?. Is there any significant relationship between Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ general proficiency and their competence in English PSs?. Is there any significant difference in the effects of mere exposure and input enhancement on intermediate EFL learners’ awareness of PSs?. Is there any significant difference in the effects of mere exposure and input enhancement on intermediate EFL learners’ use of PSs?
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