• Maillat Didier

Traditionally pragmatics has been interested in the construction of meaning in use, or meaning in context. Surprisingly though little work has been done in applying this line of research to the specific context of second language use and acquisition. In this seminar we will be interested in understanding how learners of English (as a second or foreign language) negotiate meaning construction and comprehension. One of the key research questions will be to capture the contextual constraints imposed by EFL on pragmatic processes. Conversely, we will also be interested in how pragmatic principles can help or hinder the learning of English as a second/foreign language.

In doing so, students will become acquainted with empirical and experimental research methods in pragmatics. Thus, one of the goals of this seminar is to develop our own experimental project on EFL.

• theoretical and methodological tools used to investigate the relation between pragmatics and EFL
• methodological and practical approach to carrying empirical research with linguistic data in English
• knowledge of the current relevant issues in the field
• critical evaluation of scientific papers

A bibliography and a list of assigned readings will be made available in the first week of the semester.