Pragmatic aspects of task-performance: the case of argumentation

Abstract

The study reported in this paper investigated the pragmatic aspects of task-performance in a series of argumentation tasks that 24 Hungarian learners of English performed over a period of two years. The aim of our research project was to determine how task-repetition, the long-term development of language skills, and a short-term focused intervention influenced various pragmatic measures of task-performance such as the pragmalinguistic markers of argumentation, the number of claims, counterclaims, supports and counter-supports. We also analysed how these variables differed when the participants performed the same type of task in their mother tongue. The results showed that in the repeated version of the task, familiarity with the task structure helped learners pay more attention to the informational content of their message, which was reflected in the higher number of supportive moves they produced. Participants were found to have better argumentation skills in their mother tongue and used a wider variety of pragmalinguistic markers than in L2. The language development assumed to have taken place during one year and the argumentation training, however, did not result in better pragmatic and pragmalinguistic performance.

Task Difficulty of Macro-Genres and Reading Strategies and Reading Comprehension

“…The purpose of the argumentative task is to resolve a difference in opinion (Nemeth and Kormos, 2001). The argumentative statement may be in verbal or written mode of the language.…”

“…The argumentative statement may be in verbal or written mode of the language. Argumentation is an interaction that arises in the context of other interactional businesses in which there exists a difference of opinion between two parties (Nemeth and Kormos, 2001). An argumentative task is a type of discourse genre in which efforts of the individuals to build support for their own position, at the same time that they are undermining support for an opponent's position, results in the continual negotiation of referential, social, and expressive meanings.…”

“…An argumentative task is a type of discourse genre in which efforts of the individuals to build support for their own position, at the same time that they are undermining support for an opponent's position, results in the continual negotiation of referential, social, and expressive meanings. It is not only viewed as a competitive process, but also as a cooperative act, which is an important characteristic of the discourse produced by participants (Nemeth and Kormos, 2001).…”

Learner's Gender, Reading Strategies, and Reading Performance in Expository and Argumentative Macro-genres

“…The purpose of argumentation task is to resolve a difference of opinion (Nemeth &Kormos, 2001). This argumentative statement may be in verbal or written mode of the language.…”

“…This argumentative statement may be in verbal or written mode of the language. Argumentation is, furthermore, an interaction that arises in the context of other interactional businesses in which there exists a difference of opinion between two parties (Nemeth &Kormos, 2001). …”