The roles of revision-oriented peer evaluation as pragmatic intervention in web-based ELF communication

Abstract

Peer evaluation (PE) in web-based English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) communication demonstrates certain uniqueness in moderating, transforming, or reinforcing linguistic and intercultural competence development. Within the framework of Spencer-Oatey’s (2000, 2008) rapport management framework, this article focuses on the use of revision-oriented peer evaluation (RPE) as a pragmatic intervention, drawing on data from the Cross-Pacific Exchange, an online exchange program between Chinese and American university students. Three types of RPE are identified based on its thematic content: knowledge-sharing, relationship-oriented, and disclaiming. The thematic content analysis hence reveals three major concerns in PE: the knowledge gap between ELF users, interpersonal care, and self-awareness. RPE, as a pragmatic intervention, mainly addresses these three concerns. The frequency and functional analysis of each type of RPE shows that Chinese and American students demonstrate a similar tendency, though their specific ways of intervening are not the same. Their top priorities are to scaffold common-ground construction and attend to interpersonal relationships; their least concern is to protect self/group face and identity, indicating the cooperative, mutually supportive feature of web-based ELF communication.