This volume reports on a study of pragmatic instruction among third language learners in a foreign language (FL) context. Over half of the volume is devoted to laying out the theoretical background; the rest focuses on an empirical study. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the field of third language acquisition that points out differences between it and SLA research. Especially interesting is the literature review, which presents research conducted in Spain on third language acquisition. This is followed by a comprehensive look at bilingualism. Chapter 2 offers an outline of research in the field of interlanguage pragmatics, organized around three main approaches: relevance theory, politeness theory, and speech-act theory. An argument for the importance of pragmatic instruction is also developed. The chapter ends with a discussion of relevant research on the speech act of requesting (particularly the production of requests) by FL learners. Chapter 3 closes the theoretical framework with an in-depth presentation of the Valencian community and its language learning and use. This is a very interesting chapter for readers unfamiliar with the language richness of this community.
The second part of the volume reports on a study conducted at a major public university in the bilingual Valencian community on the east coast of Spain. Chapter 4 presents the methodology of the study, including the participants and how they were assigned to groups (bilingual vs. monolingual and beginner vs. intermediate). The students were pretested and posttested with written open discourse completion tasks, open role-plays, and discourse evaluation tests. Only one paragraph is devoted to explaining the instruction procedures, which apparently included explicit teaching of request formulas, comparison between English and the first language (it is not clear if second language comparisons were part of the treatment for bilinguals), and classroom discussion. Chapters 5–8 attempt to answer the main research questions, which were concerned with the overall effects of instruction and moderating influence of learners' language level, effect of task, and differences in pragmatic awareness between bilingual and monolingual FL learners. Chapter 8, in particular, discusses the advantage of bilinguals over monolinguals on pragmatic production. The author closes the volume in chapter 9 by summarizing the results of the study and suggesting further research connected with the findings.
The results, according to the author, support the positive effect of pragmatic instruction because the number of strategies and modification devices increased in the posttests and the types of strategy became more targetlike. As for the monolingual versus bilingual variable, both groups improved in their production of requests, but the bilinguals were closer to targetlike use both before and after the treatment. Looking at effects of proficiency level on pragmatic production, intermediate students always outperformed beginners, with a tendency for higher pragmatic competence on the part of bilinguals. The comparison of the various tasks showed more request formulas and a wider use of modification devices on the written discourse completion task.
Unfortunately, the results of the study are difficult to follow and are not always convincing. This is because the design and method of analysis as well as the reporting are subject to a number of criticisms. To mention a few: Explanation of the instructional treatment and examples of data coding was not sufficient; interrater reliability should have been estimated and reported; the numerical data (e.g., scales) should have been explained and the link between instruments and data made explicit and clear; and multivariate analysis of variance should have been used instead of repeated t-tests, which when applied to the same sample and the same data without any type of adjustment yield more than doubtful results. Furthermore, a close look at the data shows contradictory results and casts doubts on the author's interpretations of her findings. For example, based on the finding that the bilinguals were closer to targetlike use both before and after the treatment, the author claims that bilingualism is more important than instruction in explaining pragmatic competence in a FL. Yet Safont does not explain why monolinguals improved almost 50% more than bilinguals after the treatment.
Overall, this is a volume that can provide provocative ideas for future research in an emergent area of SLA research. It explores one of the least developed areas of applied linguistics—that of pragmatic development—and it affords readers an interesting window into research on third language acquisition, a burgeoning new area of SLA research that is almost nonexistent in the United States.
