Pragmatic Transfer

Pragmatic transfer: The use of rules of speaking from one’s own native speech community when interacting with members of the host community or simply when speaking or writing in a second language is known as sociolinguistic or pragmatic transfer. (Wolfson, 1989)

Speech Act of Refusal

TABLE 1 Typical Order of Semantic Formulas in Refusals of Requests

                                                                                          Order

Refuser status        Group*            1                      2                      3                      4

Lower                    JJ         Apology (cf. regret#)  Excuse       (promise)        Nonverbal

                                                                                                                        Avoidance

                              JE        Regret                          Excuse             ____                _____

                              AE       Pos. opinion/               Regret              Excuse             _____

                                          Pause filler

Higher                   JJ         Pos. opinion/               Excuse             _____              ______

                                          Empathy

                              JE        Pos. opinion/               Excuse             _____              ______

                                          Empathy         

                              AE       Pos. opinion                Regret              Excuse             Can’t

*JJ = Japanese speaking Japanese; JE = Japanese speaking English (in the U.S.); AE = Americans speaking English; ( ) = Optional

# Apology and regret are distinct in Japanese, but may both be realized as “I’m sorry” in English. JE “I’m sorry” responses are coded as regret, not apology, although they could be translations from Japanese apologies.

 Speech Act of Apology

      TABLE 2 Average Frequency of Semantic Formulas in Native Speech

                                                      English            Russian           Hebrew

Apology                                        80                    70                    56

Explanation                                   63                    27                    43

Responsibility                               52                    45                    31

Repair                                            46                    19                    36

Forbearance                                   10                    13                      5

                                          English > Russian > Hebrew

TABLE 3 English Speakers in English and Hebrew – Average Frequencies

                              English native              English in Hebrew                  Hebrew native

Apology                80                                72                                >          56

Explanation           63                                47                                >          43

Responsibility       52                                50                                >          31

Repair                    46                                22                                <          36

Forbearance             7                                  6                                =            5

TABLE 4 Russian Speakers in Russian and Hebrew – Average Frequencies

                                          Russian                                               Russian in Hebrew

Apology                            70                                                        71

Explanation                       27                                                        46       

Responsibility                   45                                                        46

Repair                                19                                                        31

Forbearance                       13                                                        42

 Speech Act of Request

TABLE 5 Use of Directive Types in 8 Items (Typical Responses)

                                          Hebrew

Native Speakers (32)                Learners (19)             English

Native Speakers (10)  

      1. D3         Ata yaxol (69%)                      Same (42%)                Could you lend

                        (Can you lend me…)                                                   it to me? (7)    

       2. D9        Ata muxan (63%)                    (1) Same (21%)           Would you call

                        (Are you ready to notify?)       (2) Ata roce…(16%)    them (7)

                                                                        (Do you want to?)

       3. D10      Ulay tixtov (75%)                   Same (37%)                Why don’t you write

                        (Maybe you’ll write)                                                   to grandma? (8)

       4. D17      Ulay ata telex (69%)                (1) Same (42%)           Could you go? (6)

                        (Maybe you’ll go?)                 (2) Ata yaxol (32%)

                                                                        (Can you go?)

       5. D7        Esfar Leqabel (56%)               (1) Same (42%)           Would it be possible

                        (Is it possible to get                 (2) At yexola latet        to get a discount? (3)

                        a discount?)                                         (32%)             

                                                                        (Can you give me..)

       6. D1        Esfar Leqabel (69%)               (1) Same (26%)           Can we see the menu

                        (Is it possible to get the           (2) Tavi..(37%)           please? (4)

                        menu?)                                    (Bring me the menu)   Could we have the

                                                                                                            menu please?(6)

       7. D8        Ta’azov oti bimnuxa                (1) Same (31%)           Get lost(7)

                        (66%)                                      (2) “I am not               

                        (Leave me alone)                          interested” (63%)

       8. D2        Taziz et hamxonit                    (1) Same (49%)           It’s a no stopping

                        (78%)                                                                          zone (6)

a. The responses presented in Table 2 are: (1) The most frequent responses of native speakers, (2) the most frequent responses for learners, and (3) forms of special interest used by learners.

b. The forms are presented by items because it is believed that the situations depicted by the dialogues on the test are not equivalent in their potential range of acceptable directive types. This can be seen by the variation across items in the native speakers’ responses.

c. Agreement on choice of directive type among native speakers reached 78 precent (D2) in some cases, while among learners it never exceeded 42 percent.

d. Note that more learners used “is it possible to get” in the context where it can be interpreted literally (D7) than in the context where it is used as a conventional indirect form of request (D1).

e. Included in the 63 percent were all responses that hinted at the girls’ wish to be left alone.

                                    D2                   Driver and the policeman

                                    Policeman:       Is that your car there?

                                    Driver:             Yes. I left it there only for a few minutes.

                                    Policeman:       _________________________________

                                    Driver:             O.K. O.K. I’m sorry. I’ll move at once.