Accommodation in English as a Lingua Franca (ELF): a socio-psychological and sociolinguistic study

Abstract

In the context of an international university, where students from diverse corners of the world meet and interact on a daily basis, English becomes a contact language used by speakers of different L1 backgrounds, a common resource which presents different realisations which are characterised by variability of communicative styles. So as to understand the richness and complexity of interactions in multilingual and multicultural settings, an inquiry into communication accommodation is vital. Thus, Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) is central to English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) research as it provides a thorough appreciation of the ways in which accommodative behaviour enhances successful language use in international settings. The present study aims at contributing to the understanding of these rich and complex interactions in multicultural settings by means of the observation of the interactional practices of a small group of international postgraduate students. In order to achieve this goal, an ethnographic qualitative approach to data collection has been the main methodological approach, and participant observation has been central to the analysis of interaction. Two main areas of inquiry have been established to achieve the main objective of this project. The first one relates to the different ways in which accommodation strategies are applied in ELF interactions, while the second one addresses participants’ awareness and perceptions regarding these strategies. The main findings of this study evidence participants’ ability and efficacy in the use of different accommodation strategies that are employed to enhance communicative efficiency and the establishment of positive social relations, as well as a high degree of awareness of how and why these strategies are used. The results also suggest that participants apply accommodative moves and strategies to perform acts of identity that relate to their professional persona and their roles as postgraduate students in an international academic community.

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