Examination of Learner and Situation Level Variables: Choice of Speech Act and Request Strategy by Spanish L2 Learners

Autor/in	Kuriscak, Lisa
Titel	Examination of Learner and Situation Level Variables: Choice of Speech Act and Request Strategy by Spanish L2 Learners
Quelle	In: Hispania, 98 (2015) 2, S.300-318 (19 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0018-2133
Schlagwörter	Speech Acts; Spanish; Second Language Learning; Language Variation; Cloze Procedure; Hierarchical Linear Modeling; Sample Size; Task Analysis; Gender Differences; Statistical Analysis; Language Proficiency; Prediction; Grammar; Language Tests; Hypothesis Testing; Second Language Instruction; Student Characteristics; Regression (Statistics) + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Sprechakt; Spanisch; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Sprachenvielfalt; Lückentext; Aufgabenanalyse; Geschlechterkonflikt; Statistische Analyse; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Vorhersage; Grammatik; Language test; Sprachtest; Hypothesenprüfung; Hypothesentest; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Regression; Regressionsanalyse
Abstract	This study focuses on variation within a group of learners of Spanish (N = 253) who produced requests and complaints via a written discourse completion task. It examines the effects of learner and situational variables on production--the effect of proficiency and addressee-gender on speech-act choice and the effect of perception of imposition on request strategy. Unique to the design are 1) learners were not told what speech act to produce (but rather they chose how to respond); and 2) the design and sample size allowed for statistical techniques appropriate for nested data (regression in single level analyses and hierarchical linear models for nested data in multilevel models), which let one determine simultaneously the effects of learner and situation level variables on an outcome without violating the assumptions of the analytic technique. The following findings are described: more proficient learners produced requests more often, and less proficient learners produced complaints more often, net of other effects; female addressees were less likely than males to receive requests; and learners' perception of the imposition of the scenario did not significantly influence their production. The results highlight the need to account for learner and situational variables simultaneously when predicting speech-act production, using techniques appropriate for nested data. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, Inc. 900 Ladd Road, Walled Lake, MI 48390. Tel: 248-960-2180; Fax: 248-960-9570; e-mail: AATSPoffice@aatsp.org; Web site: http://www.aatsp.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01