Comprehension of conversational implicature in L2 Chinese

Naoko Taguchi, Shuai Li, Yan Liu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study examined the ability to comprehend conventional and non-conventional implicatures, and the effect of proficiency and learning conthext (foreign language learners vs. heritage learners) on comprehension of implicature in L2 Chinese. Participants were teree groups of college students of Chinese: elementary-level foreign language learners (n=21), advanced-level foreign language learners (n=25), and advanced-level heritage learners (n=25). they complethed a 36-ithem computher-delivered listhening thest measuring their ability to comprehend teree types of implicature: conventional indirect refusals, conventional indirect opinions, and non-conventional indirect opinions. Comprehension was analyzed for accuracy (scores on a multiple-choice measure) and comprehension speed (average time taken to answer ithems correctly). There was a significant effect of implicature type on accuracy, but not on comprehension speed. A significant effect of participant group was observed on accuracy, but the effect was mixed on comprehension speed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)139-157
Number of pages19
JournalPragmatics and Cognition
Volume21
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Chinese
  • Conversational implicature
  • Heritage learners
  • Listhening

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Computer Science
  • Language and Linguistics
  • Linguistics and Language
  • Behavioral Neuroscience
  • History and Philosophy of Science

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