The Use of English Pragmatic Markers by Learners of English in Interlanguage Communication

Abstract

This research examined two interpersonal-centered pragmatic markers, well and you know, used by Thai ESL learners at two levels of English proficiency. It used a quantitative approach to determine the difference in the use of the two pragmatic markers between the two proficiency levels, and it used a qualitative approach to identify each function of the two pragmatic markers. From an examination of the use of the two pragmatic markers by 60 Thai ESL learners, this research found a significant difference of using well between the two proficiency levels, while no significant difference of using you know between the two proficiency levels. This finding indicates a dissimilarity of the use of the English pragmatic markers by Thai ESL learners in interlanguage communication. The analysis of the pragmatic functions used by Thai ESL learners in this research suggested that a more limited range was used compared to previous research. Finally, this research found no significant difference in the use of each function of both pragmatic markers, which can be explained by the rare use of both pragmatic markers and their pragmatic functions by Thai ESL learners. Overall, the findings revealed that Thai ESL learners had a deficiency in the use of the pragmatic markers in interlanguage communication in English, which may lead to a lack of pragmatic competence among Thai ESL learners.