A01 cohe4573 01 se fm. Qxd

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T H E N U T S A N D B O L T S O F P R A G M A T I C S I N S T R U C T I O N
Learner factors:
■
learners’ level of linguistic proficiency (How well do they handle the
grammar structures and vocabulary in the pragmatic language
samples?);
■
learning styles (Are learners analytic enough to be able to discover L2
pragmatic norms?); and
■
motivation and interest in learning L2 pragmatics (Do learners know
why they should learn L2 pragmatics and value positively the
development of their pragmatic ability?).
Target language features:
■
frequency (Does the target pragmatic feature occur frequently enough
for learners to notice?);
■
salience (Is the target feature salient enough for learners to notice?); and
■
level of complexity of the target structure (How well can learners
handle the level of complexity of the target feature?).
An explanatory approach to L2 pragmatics instruction 
and critical pragmatics
So far, we have discussed the pedagogical implications of drawing on cogni-
tive frameworks for dealing with the cognitive aspects of pragmatics instruc-
tion in the classroom. We have also seen above that language learning
occurs at social, cultural, psychological, and affective levels in connection to
learners’ self-concept and in their perceived relation to others. If teacher
readers subscribe to this social view of language learning, they may also con-
sider its implications – how this view can shape their teaching practice in
the classroom.
Theoretical frameworks and research on language learning from a social
and cultural perspective serve to remind language educators of the import-
ance of being sensitive to learners’ identities and cultures. Knowing gram-
matical structures alone does not guarantee understanding of what would
constitute generally preferred pragmatic behavior in the L2 and why that
would be the case in that culture. If this cultural literacy appears to be lack-
ing, an explanatory approach to the teaching of pragmatics (see Chapters 1
and 11)
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may serve to provide an emic view (i.e., insider perspective) of the
target culture.
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Meier (2003); Richards and Schmidt (1983). Also see Spencer-Oatey (2000) for 
various explanatory examples relating language and culture.

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L A N G U A G E - A C Q U I S I T I O N T H E O R Y A N D T E A C H I N G P R A G M A T I C S
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For example, as was the case with an L2 speaker of Japanese, some
Western learners of the language may be uncomfortable emulating what
they perceive as Japanese speakers’ tendency to reject compliments about
their family members given by non-family members (e.g., compliments
given by someone about the academic achievements of their daughter).
Learners may see a flat-out rejection of this type of compliment (e.g., no,
that’s not true at all ). as lacking grace or overly critical of their own family.
Consequently, learners may see this particular pragmatic convention (or
even Japanese speakers in general) in a negative light. Western learners may
prefer to express their love and pride for the family member and accept or
upgrade the compliment (e.g., yes, she is doing really well at school ). However,
knowing a common interpretation of this Japanese pragmatic behavior may
help L2 speakers to understand why this behavior is sometimes practiced in
the culture.
One researcher, who analyzed naturally occurring compliments in
Japanese, has observed that Japanese speakers sometimes praise someone’s
ability not so much in order to build solidarity (as Western speakers might),
but rather to widen the gap between the speaker and the listener by placing
the listener higher on the interactional scale than the speaker him/herself.
So, for Japanese speakers, there is a greater need for the recipient of the 
compliment to reject it in order to close the gap and reestablish commonality
and solidarity in the relationship.
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Also, the demarcation between in-group
and out-group is often clear in the culture; accepting an out-group mem-
ber’s compliment about an in-group family member can be seen as a type 
of self-praise. In fact, acceptance (let alone, upgrading) of a compliment
about one’s own family can be interpreted as self-conceited bragging in that 
culture. An explanatory approach to pragmatics, as in this example, would
include classroom discussion of such a cultural point of view, with the
intent to enhance the learners’ cultural literacy in the L2. Having the back-
ground on why the target language uses certain cultural conventions may
help learners make a more informed decision as to whether they want to