ALAPP
Activity: Participating in an event - types › Organisation of and participation in conference
Marta Kirilova - Speaker
‘Getting the job done’ - Formulaic speech in job interviews with L2
speakers of Danish
Based on 41 audio recorded job interviews with L2 speakers of Danish, this talk
explores the notion of speech formulae in L2 institutional interaction as a factor
contributing to successful performance in gatekeeping encounters. In traditional
SLA research on formulaic language (e.g. Ellis et al. 2008), speech formulae are
described as relatively stable units that require a high level of phonetic and
grammatical accuracy as well as precise pragmatic use in order to be recognized as
formulae. However, studies have shown that formulae may function independently
as ‘zones of safety’ (Boers et al. 2006), ‘islands of reliability’ (Dechert 1984) or
code-switching strategies in less well-developed L2 speech. Interactional studies in
particular suggest that formulae allow speakers to focus on the social (as opposed
to the linguistic) aspects of a situation. For example, use of formulae can signal
affiliation to the target language and open up for negotiating co-membership and
interpersonal involvement. I present and discuss a range of examples to support
the socio-pragmatic function of speech formulae. I propose that: 1) use of
formulaic expressions helps L2 speakers already at a beginner’s level to act as
skillful professionals by co-constructing environments of shared norms and values;
and 2) formulaic speech functions as a marker of both linguistic and cultural
belonging to the target context. Thus, studying formulaic speech from a sociopragmatic
perspective provides new insights to the complex relation between
language and culture.
Nov 2016
Conference
Conference | ALAPP |
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Location | Københavns Universitet |
Country | Denmark |
City | Købehavn |
Period | 01/06/2016 → … |
Internet address |
ID: 168543913