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Senior EFL Learners’ (Meta)Pragmatic Awareness of Suggestions: A Multiple Case Study on the Role of Audiovisual Materials and Individual Differences

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Celaya Villanueva, Ma. Luz (María Luz), 1962-

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Universitat de Barcelona. Facultat de Filologia

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[eng] In today’s multilingual and multicultural society, communication has become more dynamic than ever, with people forming international friendships and engaging in conversations across linguistic and cultural boundaries. As a result, second language (L2) pragmatics plays a crucial role in ensuring that speakers can navigate social interactions appropriately and avoid unintentional offense (Bardovi-Harlig, 1999; Brown & Levinson, 1987; Olshtain & Blum-Kulka, 1985). Audiovisual (AV) materials provide learners with access to authentic dialogues, exposing learners to natural language use in diverse contexts (Alcón- Soler & Safont, 2008; Barón & Celaya, 2022; Derakhshan & Zangoei, 2014; Fernández- Guerra, 2013; Katchen, 2002; Usó-Juan & Martínez-Flor, 2021, 2022). Meanwhile, the global demographic shift shows a growing number of healthier, more active seniors (World Health Organization, 2024), challenging outdated assumptions about cognitive decline, language learning, and the constraints of the critical period hypothesis (Muñoz & Singleton, 2011; Pfenninger & Singleton, 2017; Ramírez Gómez, 2016).
Given the increasing emphasis on the cognitive and social benefits of language learning, and the importance of pragmatic competence in second language acquisition (SLA), this study investigated the L2 (meta)pragmatic awareness of eight Spanish/Catalan bilingual senior English as a foreign language (EFL) learners (henceforth NNS participants), with a specific focus on the role of AV materials and individual differences (IDs), in shaping (meta)pragmatic awareness of the appropriateness of suggestions, and to what degree these pragmatic judgements aligned with those of seven native speakers of American English (henceforth NS participants). The primary instrument was an online form comprising a questionnaire regarding their personal and professional background, including their history of watching movies and series in English, and their language learning beliefs, strategies and motivations. The form also contained an appropriateness rating task that consisted of 14 video clips depicting suggestion
 
strategies in various contexts. Participants rated the pragmatic appropriateness of each clip on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very rude, 5 = perfectly appropriate). The data collected was analyzed to identify patterns and similarities in L2 (meta)pragmatic awareness between groups. Semi-structured interviews provided further insight into the NNS participants’ experience with the entire task.
To investigate the first research question aimed at exploring senior EFL learners’ (meta)pragmatic awareness of suggestions, multiple statistical analyses were conducted. A generalized linear model test explored the effect of group (NS vs. NNS) on (meta)pragmatic awareness ratings, but no significant differences were found. However, a Mann-Whitney U test revealed a statistically significant difference between groups for one clip featuring the Conventionalized Form strategy. The findings suggest that NNS participants’ (meta)pragmatic awareness of suggestions closely aligns with that of the NS participants. The second research question examined whether experience with AV materials influences (meta)pragmatic awareness. To address this, the NNS participants were divided into two subgroups: those who regularly watched AV content in English and those who did not. To compare NS participants’ ratings with the two NNS groups, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were employed. Results revealed initial statistical differences in two clips, but post hoc pairwise comparisons indicated no significant differences. This suggests that both NNS groups exhibited (meta)pragmatic awareness similar to NS participants across all clips, indicating minimal influence of AV materials on their ratings.
The third research question addressed whether IDs (beliefs, strategies, and motivation) in language learning affect (meta)pragmatic awareness. Data from the background questionnaire, appropriateness rating task and semi-structured interviews were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Findings indicated significant differences between the NNS and NS participants’ ratings in several clips featuring different suggestion strategies,
 
highlighting the complex role of IDs in EFL learners’ L2 (meta)pragmatic awareness. Overall, this doctoral dissertation sheds light on the pragmatic competence of senior EFL learners and contributes to the emerging field of L2 pragmatics for this demographic. It also calls for tailored instructional practices that recognize the value of life experience in language learning.

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[cat] En la societat actual, multilingüe i multicultural, la comunicació és més dinàmica que mai, amb persones que estableixen amistats internacionals i interactuen més enllà de fronteres lingüístiques i culturals. En aquest context, la pragmàtica en segona llengua (L2) té un paper clau per garantir que els parlants gestionin adequadament les interaccions socials i evitin ofenses involuntàries (Bardovi-Harlig, 1999; Brown & Levinson, 1987; Olshtain & Blum- Kulka, 1985). Els materials audiovisuals (AV) ofereixen als aprenents accés a diàlegs autèntics, exposant-los a l’ús natural de la llengua en contextos diversos (Alcón-Soler & Safont, 2008; Barón & Celaya, 2022; Derakhshan & Zangoei, 2014). Paral·lelament, el canvi demogràfic global mostra un augment de persones grans més sanes i actives (World Health Organization, 2024), qüestionant supòsits sobre el declivi cognitiu i l’aprenentatge de llengües (Muñoz & Singleton, 2011; Pfenninger & Singleton, 2017).
Aquest estudi ha analitzat la consciència pragmàtica en L2 de vuit aprenents grans d’anglès com a llengua estrangera (EFL) de primera llengua (L1) espanyol/català (NNS) i set parlants nadius d’anglès (NS) com a línia de base, centrant-se en el paper dels materials AV i les diferències individuals (IDs) en el desenvolupament de la (meta)pragmàtica. L’instrument principal va ser un formulari en línia que incloïa un qüestionari de context i una tasca d’avaluació de 14 vídeos amb suggeriments en diferents contextos. Els participants van valorar l’adequació pragmàtica de cada vídeo en una escala Likert de cinc punts.
La primera pregunta de recerca explorava la consciència pragmàtica dels NNS. L’anàlisi estadística no va mostrar diferències significatives entre NNS i NS, tot i que una prova de Mann-Whitney U va revelar una diferència en un vídeo. La segona pregunta investigava la influència dels materials AV, i els resultats inicials van indicar diferències en dos vídeos, però les proves post hoc no van trobar efectes significatius. Finalment, la tercera pregunta examinava l’efecte de les ID, trobant diferències significatives en les valoracions dels NNS i
 
NS, subratllant la complexitat del paper de les ID. Aquesta tesi aporta noves perspectives sobre la competència pragmàtica en aprenents grans d’EFL, contribuint a l’àmbit de la pragmàtica en L2 per aquest col·lectiu.

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Senior EFL Learners’ (Meta)Pragmatic Awareness of Suggestions: A Multiple Case Study on the Role of Audiovisual Materials and Individual Differences