Requests in Greek as a Foreign Language by Spanish/Catalan Bilinguals: The Role of Proficiency
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study explores how Spanish/Catalan bilinguals acquire requests in Greek as a Foreign Language (FL), focusing on the role of proficiency in different communicative contexts. Fifty-four learners of Greek from different proficiency levels and fifty-three native Greek speakers participated in this study. Data was collected via role plays featuring varied social parameters (+/−Power, +/−Social Distance, +/−Imposition). Retrospective verbal reports were also employed to gain insights into learners’ use of requests, providing an overall view of their self-perceptions and pragmatic concerns across different proficiency levels. The findings revealed differences between native and non-native speakers in request types and the number of modifications, highlighting that increased proficiency does not necessarily result in target-like pragmatic performance. Additionally, social parameters clearly influenced learners’ requesting behavior, although their ability to interpret and appropriately respond to these variables developed inconsistently across different contexts and proficiency levels. Ultimately, the findings of this study may contribute to a better understanding of L2 pragmatic development in Greek as an FL and, in turn, inform pedagogical practices aimed at enhancing learners’ pragmatic competence.
Source: Languages
Authors: Javier Cañas, Maria Andria, María-Luz Celaya
Institutions: Valencian International University, Universitat de Barcelona
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,689
OpenAlex ID: W7117657277