Negotiation of meaning and language-related episodes in synchronous, audio-based Chinese-German eTandem

Abstract

Abstract The present paper examines negotiation of meaning and language-related episodes in Chinese-German eTandem interaction, focusing on Chinese as target language. Against the background of the interactionist approach to language learning and drawing upon Swain and Lapkin’s (1998, Interaction and second language learning: Two adolescent French immersion students working together. Modern Language Journal 82. 320–337) concept of “language-related episodes” (LREs), the main focus of this paper is to investigate how negotiation of meaning is undertaken in this particular learning environment, to what extent LREs occur in Chinese-German eTandems, and what the characteristics of these episodes are. Furthermore, differences between novice CFL (Chinese as a Foreign Language) learners and intermediate CFL learners participating in eTandems are identified. The findings show that the participants only use the target languages (Chinese and German) to negotiate meaning. Novice CFL learners rely heavily on code-switching to German, while intermediate learners mainly use Chinese. Compared to negotiation of meaning, LREs occur sparingly and cover word searches and reflections on grammar, pronunciation, and style/expression. Text-chat usage during negotiation of meaning and LREs points to the fact that focus on linguistic form is supported by a switch from oral mode to text-chat.