Pragmatics and its Applications to TESOL and SLA

A concise introduction to the field of theoretical pragmatics and its applications in second language acquisition and English-language instruction

Pragmatics and its Applications to TESOL and SLA offers an in-depth description of key areas of linguistic pragmatics and a review of how those topics can be applied to pedagogy in the fields of second language acquisition (SLA) and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). This book is an excellent resource for students and professionals who have an interest in teaching pragmatics (speech acts, the cooperative principle, deixis, politeness theory, and more) in second language contexts.

This book introduces technical terminology and concepts—including the fundamentals of semantics and semiotics—in simple language, and it provides illuminating examples, making it an excellent choice for readers with an elementary linguistics background who wish to further their knowledge of pragmatics. It also covers more advanced pragmatics topics, including stance, indexicality, and pragmatic appropriateness. Key features include:

• A comprehensive introduction to pragmatics, covering meaning, speech acts, the cooperation principle, politeness, metapragmatics, and more
• A unique orientation toward practical application in second language acquisition studies and English-language instruction
• Two-part chapters clearly separating theoretical introductions from concrete, real-world applications of the theory
• Thorough coverage that is accessible to both students and professionals currently teaching English to speakers of other languages, including sample lesson plans
• Practical chapters on the interface between pragmatics and teaching, and on research design

Pragmatics and its Applications to TESOL and SLA is a comprehensive and coherent introduction, perfect for students, researchers, and scholars of pragmatics, second language acquisition, language teaching, and intercultural communication. It is also an excellent resource for professionals in the field of English-language education.

SALVATORE ATTARDO is Professor of Linguistics at Texas A&M–Commerce, USA. He is editor of The Encyclopedia of Humor Studies (2014) and The Handbook of Language and Humor (2017) and co-author of Understanding Language Structure, Interaction and Variation, Third Edition (2014). He has published 12 books and over 100 articles. His latest book is The Linguistics of Humor: An Introduction (2020).

LUCY PICKERING is Professor of Applied Linguistics and Director of the Applied Linguistics Laboratory at Texas A&M–Commerce, USA. She is the author of Discourse Intonation: A discourse-pragmatic approach to teaching the pronunciation of English (2018), co-editor of Language Learning, Discourse & Cognition (2018), co-editor of Talking at Work (2016), and co-author of English Communication for International Teaching Assistants (2013).