Intrinsic connection between pragmatics and grammar

  • Jeremy W. Bachelor Heartland Community College - Illinois, EE.UU.
    El profesor Jeremy W. Bachelor es doctorando en Educación por la Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana (México), máster en Lengua Española por la Universidad Estatal de Illinois y licenciado en Lengua Española por la Universidad de Eureka. Trabaja en el Centro Universitario Heartland (Heartland Community College) en Illinois. Contacto: Jeremy.Bachelor@heartland.edu
Keywords: pragmatics, grammar, Spanish as a foreign language, sociolinguistics, education

Abstract

Previous studies suggest that grammar is a prerequisite to Language 2 or second/foreign language (L2) pragmatic acquisition, although high grammatical competence does not guarantee high pragmatic competence. This study more extensively examines the correlation between these two competencies. In the year 2013 at a North American university, 29 Spanish students at the intermediate-high level took a grammar test and a pragmatic test. The pragmatic test assessed requests, invitations, refusals, and apologies in Spanish. In comparing the two, the results suggest a positive relationship between pragmatic and grammatical competencies. Therefore, this research supports previous studies showing that the grammatical competence of students of foreign languages is necessary for the development of pragmatic competence; however, it is not sufficient for it in and of itself.

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How to Cite
Bachelor, J. W. (2015). Intrinsic connection between pragmatics and grammar. Educacion, 24(47), 7-26. https://doi.org/10.18800/educacion.201502.001