A Cognitive Study on Politeness Intention Processing and Its Association with Pragmatic Failure in Cross-Cultural Communication

Although a large number of studies have focused on various aspects of politeness,very little is known about how politeness intention is activated cognitively during verbal communication.The present study aims to explore the cognitive mechanism of politeness intention processing,and how it is related to pragmatic failure during cross-cultural communication.Using 30 Chinese EFL university students who were instructed to finish a probe word judgment task with 96 virtual scenarios,the results indicate that within both mono-and cross-cultural contexts,the response time in the experimental scenarios was significantly slower than that of the filler scenarios.This suggests that politeness intention was activated while understanding the surface meaning of the conversation;however,the EFL learners could not completely avoid the negative transfer of their native politeness conventions when they were comprehending the conversational intention of the target language.Furthermore,no significant differences in response time were found between the groups with high and low English pragmatic competence,illustrating that transferring the pragmatic rules and principles into cross-cultural communication skills was more cognitively demanding.Overall,this study adds to the literature on politeness research and provides some implications for foreign language pragmatic instructions.

A Comparative Study of the L2 Pragmatic Competence of University Students in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland:The Contributions of Sociocultural Context and Linguistic Proficiency

This study investigates the differences in pragmatic competence between Hong Kong and Chinese mainland university students.Participants included 19 native speakers of English,115 Chinese mainland students,divided into those who had spent time abroad in an English-speaking country(CM A)and those who had not(CM NA),and 97 Hong Kong students,divided into those from an English-medium secondary school(Hong Kong EMI)and those from a Chinese-medium school(Hong Kong CMI).Linguistic proficiency was measured by a C-test,and pragmatic competence by a Metapragmatic Knowledge Test,an Irony Test and a Monologic Role Play.Group scores were compared using ANCOVAs to control for differences in proficiency.The results point to a continuum of pragmatic competence—EMI>CMI>CM A>CM NA—reflecting the groups’access to English in real-life contexts.The differences between the Hong Kong groups and the Chinese mainland groups were clearest in those tests measuring processing capacity(i.e.,Irony Response Time and the Monologic Role Play).CM A,but not CM NA,performed as well as the Hong Kong groups on measures of metapragmatic awareness.The results are discussed in terms of Bialystok’s(1993)distinction between analyzed representation and control of processing.

English Translation of Public Signs in Chinese from a Pragmatic Perspective

This paper applies Newmark’s communicative translation and semantic translation theory to analyzing the English translation of Chinese public signs and its pragmatic functions. It finds that communicative translation is typically used to fulfill the communicative function of public signs. Both communicative and semantic translation are employed to adapt to different situational contexts, in order to preserve the pragmatic functions of the Chinese public signs. The differences between Chinese and English lead to pragmatic errors in translation, making the translator’s bilingual proficiency and familiarity with English culture necessary. The fundamental principle of public sign translation is to be concise and clear, which often requires modifying some complex rhetorical devices from Chinese in translation.

Effectiveness of an amino acid beverage formulation in diarrheapredominant irritable bowel syndrome:A pragmatic real-world study

BACKGROUND Amino-acid based medical foods have shown promise in alleviating symptoms of drug induced gastrointestinal side effects;particularly,diarrhea-predominant symptoms.Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)is a gastrointestinal disorder that affects up to 9% of people globally,with diarrhea predominant IBS(IBS-D)being the most prevalent subtype.Further trials are needed to explore potential added benefits when integrated into standard care for IBS-D.AIM To assess the effectiveness of an amino acid-based medical food as an adjunct to standard of care for adults with IBS-D.METHODS This is a pragmatic,real world,open label,single arm study comparing a 2-week baseline assessment to a 2-week intervention period.One hundred adults,aged 18 to 65 years,with IBS-D,according to Rome IV criteria,were enrolled after completing a 2-week baseline assessment period and received a 2-week supply of an amino acid based medical food which was consumed at home twice daily on top of their standard of care.The primary outcome was an assessment of tolerability after 2-weeks of consumption,while secondary outcomes included changes in stool consistency(Bristol Stool Form Scale),severity of abdominal pain&discomfort,symptoms of urgency,Global Improvement Survey(GIS),and the IBS severity scoring system(IBS-SSS).RESULTS The test product was well-tolerated as each participant successfully completed the full 14-day trial,and there were no instances of dropouts or discontinuation of the study product reported.Forty percent of participants achieved a 50% or more reduction in the number of days with type 6-7 bowel movements(IBS-D stool consistency responders).Fifty-three percent of participants achieved a clinically meaningful reduction of 30% in mean weekly pain scores,and 55%experienced the same for mean weekly discomfort scores(IBS-D pain and discomfort responders).Participants experienced a mean-109.4(95% confidence interval:-130.1,-88.8)point reduction on the IBS-SSS and 52% experienced a minimally clinically important difference of>95 points.An IBS-SSS category shift from severe to moderate or mild occurred in 69% of participants.For functional symptoms,76% of participants reported symptom relief on the GIS.CONCLUSION The amino acid-based medical food was well-tolerated,when added to the standard of care,and demonstrated improvements in both overall IBS symptom severity and IBS-D symptoms within just 2 wk.

Exploration of Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Failures in English Interpretation and Their Solutions

From the perspective of international market development and international cultural exchange,English is the main applied language,especially in most western countries.With the deepening of global economic integration and international trade,cultural collisions are becoming increasingly frequent,and interpretation in different languages is inevitably required.However,interpretation does not only mean transfer language,it also involves culture.In the practice of interpretation,some errors arise from the lack of cross-cultural awareness,which becomes pragmatic errors.Therefore,this article will mainly discuss cross-cultural pragmatic failures in English interpretation with some examples and specific solutions.Firstly,it will introduce what pragmatic failures are and typical types of failures,clarify the relationship between English interpretation and pragmatic failures,and then elaborate on representative cross-cultural pragmatic failures in English interpretation.Finally,it will summarize the reasons and solutions that lead to cross-cultural pragmatic failures in English interpretation,putting forward corresponding suggestions for reducing cross-cultural pragmatic failures.

Theoretical Transplantation into Translation Studies——An Analysis on the Pragmatic Application of Hofstede’s

The deepening process of globalization has given rise to restless cultural exchanges among people from different regions of the world through newspapers,books,and other written media.However,the significant differences in languages and cultures have become an insurmountable gap in intercultural communication.To lubricate cultural exchanges,new translation theories that focus on the transformation of different cultural concepts shall be introduced and adopted.This paper aims to extract applicable notions from Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions for pragmatic translation studies by laying emphasis on its pragmatic value through case study.By such theoretical transplantation,valuable suggestions are proposed to tackle cultural misunderstandings and conflicts encountered amid cultural exchanges.

A Research on the Improvement of Pragmatic Competence in College English Teaching

A core issue in foreign language teaching is to foster actual competence of language learners to practically utilize language, which is called pragmatic competence. But compared with traditional linguistic competence, the levels of their pragmatic competence need to be further understood. Thus it is essential to make an investigation into this. From the investigation results it is expected to reveal from which aspects teachers and students should carry on in order to improve pragmatic competence and meet foreign language learning need in new age.

A Literature Review of the Research Method in the Study of L2 Pragmatic Competence of Chinese Tertiary-Level Students

This study combs through the frequently cited papers on L2 pragmatic competence of Chinese tertiary-level students from CNKI,and analyzes the research methods used in these studies.The findings are:Metapragmatic judgement item,discourse completion task,role play,and verbal reports are the most widely used instruments in the study of L2 pragmatic competence of Chinese tertiary-level students.Besides,other methods like natural comprehension and elicited conversation have received more attention in recent years.

The Pragmatic Perspective of Jef Verschueren——A Comment on Understanding Pragmatics

This paper explains the pragmatic perspective in modern pragmatics by commenting on Verschueren's book UnderstandingPragmatics.At the beginning,historical development is given as necessary background information.Then a brief introduction about thebook is given to illustrate the author's perspective in pragmatics.Particularly,a discussion about the essence of the book is made by ex-plaining Verschueren's opinion:A pragmatic perspective is interdisciplinary.Finally,the author makes a comment on Verschueren'sbook and his theory.

Defeasibility of Pragmatic Presuppositions in Humor Generation

Of the two types of pragmatic presuppositions to produce humor,i.e.,generation of pragmatic presuppositions and defeasibility of pragmatic presuppositions,the latter one receives particular attention because of its unique humorous effect.Further analysis reveals that defeasibility occurs in context conflicts and in the deliberate interpretation of utterances’literal meaning by the listener.

国外语用学研究综述——基于Journal of Pragmatics(2005-2014)的统计分析

一、引言 20世纪70年代,一些语言学家看到Chomsky形式句法理论的缺陷和不足,开始在语言研究中重视对语言意义的研究。随着研究的深入,他们越来越意识到对意义的阐释离不开语境,这便为语用学研究开辟了道路。虽然语用学作为一门学科的历史并不很长,但发展却是十分迅速的。

Studies of negative pragmatic transfer in interlanguage pragmatics

Negative pragmatic transfer (NPT) is nothing but a difference of saying things between non native speakers and native speakers. It occupies an important position in interlanguage pragmatics whose mission is to scrutinize how non native speakers do things with words with L2. This paper reported that 4 NPT related aspects have been heavily documented in the current literature: 1) L1 negative pragmatic transfers at the speech act level; 2) the distinction between negative pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic transfers; 3) conditions of negative pragmatic transfers; and 4) native speaker’s attitudes towards L1 negative pragmatic transfers. Consequently, issues for future studies are also raised.

Taking Stock of Grammar-Translation Teaching Method in Developing Intercultural Pragmatic Competence

Grammar-translation teaching method(GTTM as a shorthand below) has long been a buzzword when it is adopted in the class of English as a foreign language.It has been universally acknowledged that such teaching method contradicts the development of communicative language competence advocated in recent decades.However,I positively argue that GTTM in English class,as a comparative and intercultural model,should be given a due reconsideration to improve L2 learners' pragmatic competence.

The Interaction between the Cooperate Principle and the Politeness Principle in Pragmatics

The Cooperative Principle and the Politeness Principle are the main contents of pragmatics. This paper the writer makes a systematic exposition of what are the Cooperative Principle and the Politeness Principle and how they interact with each other in people’s conversations. .

The Pragmatic Analysis of English Euphemism

In daily communication, English euphemism is both a common linguistic and cultural phenomenon. In general, those disgusting, terrifying and unpleasant facts can be covered and those defacing, embarrassing things can be hidden by the use of euphemism. The originality of this paper lies in the study of English euphemism from the perspective of pragmatics. It discusses some fundamental knowledge and the pragmatic functions of English euphemism.

近十年国外语用学研究综述——对Journal of Pragmatics十年(2005—2014)所刊文章的统计分析

文章首先对Journal of Pragmatics(2005—2014年)所刊文章进行了全面的统计描述;其次从实证研究和非实证研究的角度统计分析了十年来该期刊所有的语用学文章;然后依据权威分类将语用学研究分为十三大类,即互动语用学、话语语用学、社会语用学、实验语用学、语料库语用学、认知语用学、语法与语用学、语用学与哲学、语言习得与语用学、跨文化语用学、网络语用学、翻译与语用学和文学语用学,并在此基础上对语用学文章进行了归类;最后细致梳理和综述了十三大类中十年发文量达到100以上的语用学研究文章。

The Effect of Study-Abroad on Pragmatic Transfer

This study aims to investigate the effect that studying abroad may have on pragmatic transfer in requests, refusals, and expressions of gratitude, produced by Japanese learners of English. Twentytwo Japanese college students completed a multimedia elicitation task(MET) before and after studying in the US for one semester, together with twenty-two L1 English speakers and twenty L1 Japanese speakers as baseline data. The MET is a computer-based instrument for eliciting oral data.Unlike previous studies on pragmatic transfer, which often lack statistical evidence, this study includes statistical analysis. The analysis revealed that negative pragmatic transfer occurs within a limited range. The identified transfer includes pragmalinguistic transfer, whereby, assuming that their politeness levels are equal, learners directly translate L1 expressions into L2;and sociopragmatic transfer, whereby learners transfer L1 discourse patterns and functions. Resistance to L2 norms and increased fluency can be influencing factors. The results indicated that the effect of study-abroad is limited because most of the negative transfer which was identified before studying abroad remained after studying abroad. Thus, the necessity of explicit pragmatic instruction was proposed.

A study on pragmatic failure in cross-cultural communication

Through analyzing and comparing the anecdotes of pragmatic failure in cross-cultural communication from the aspects of lexicon, syntax and discourse, some pragmatic strategies are suggested in intercultural communication. To improve learners＇ cultural awareness and communicative competence, a cultural-linguistic approach in foreign language teaching should be adopted.

An Exploration into Pragmatic Failure in EFL Learning

To acquire the real communicative competence for language learners calls for not only the linguistic knowledge but also the ability to use the language appropriately. But many empirical studies have manifested that Chinese learners of English are quite fragile in pragmatic competence. Thus, the author mainly depicts in this paper the necessity of cultivating pragmatic competence and ways to enhance English learners＇ pragmatic competence by exploring into pragmalinguistic failure and sociopragmatic failure.

Application of cross-cultural cognitive pragmatic analysis to translation education

Translation is cross-cultural activity existing between two different language signs. In the process of translating, translators can not get out of the influence of cultural elements. From the angle of cross-cultural pragmatic contrasting, the author makes analysis of the problems of difference existing between the volume of information borne or transmitted between two different language signs in the process of translating under the influence of cultural elements, and points out that to study these problems, translators must consider a series of problems about cross-cultural cognitive context. This article also makes cross-cultural pragmatic contrastive analysis in world view difference, register difference, imaginative difference and metaphor difference. The author introduces the method of cross-cultural pragmatic contrastive analysis and suggests taking a series of measures to improve translation education.