Date:
July 1987
Page No.:
131
Writer(s):
Tomoko Takahashi and Leslie M. Beebe
The purpose of this paper is to report on a study
examining the developmental pragmatic competence of
Japanese learners of English as compared with native
Americans. Their pragmatic competence was analyzed
qualitatively in terms of the tone and content of their
refusals. Qualitative assessments of transfer strategies
were also given.
The data are based on the written refusals of 80
subjects - 20 native speakers using Japanese and 20
native speakers using English, as compared with 40
Japanese students speaking English (20 EFL and 20
ESL). Within the ESL and EFL categories, 10 students
are at the graduate level and 10 at the undergraduate
level, categories which reflect approximate level of
proficiency.
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