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Discourse Variation in Oral Proficiency Interviews

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2008

Richard Young and
Michael Milanovic
Richard Young
Affiliation:
Southern Illinois University
Michael Milanovic
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate
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Abstract

In this paper a theoretical model of dyadic native-nonnative speaker (NS-NNS) discourse is proposed in which discourse is described in terms of three features: interactional contingency, the goal orientation of participants, and dominance. The model is then used to study the discourse of 30 dyadic oral interviews of the Cambridge First Certificate in English examination. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of the model in abstracting the structure of oral interview discourse. They show that the discourse of oral proficiency interviews is characterized by greater reactiveness by NNS candidates and greater orientation toward goals by NS examiners. Variation in the structure of the discourse is also investigated in this study. This is shown to be related to the examiner, the theme of the interview, the task in which the participants are engaged, and the gender of examiner and candidate.

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Studies in Second Language Acquisition , Volume 14 , Issue 4 , December 1992, pp. 403 - 424
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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