Interlanguage Pragmatics of the Apology

Learning a language goes beyond acquisition of a§linguistic system and includes the knowledge of when§and how to use linguistic forms appropriately in§varying socio-cultural contexts. Over the past§decade, the discussion of educational objectives of§language teaching and learning has placed a§particular emphasis on developing cross-cultural§awareness. §This book investigates the development of§intercultural pragmatic competence by American adult§learners of Russian in relation to both advancement§in linguistic proficiency and study abroad§experience, lending empirical support to the concept§of language learning as acquisition of both a§linguistic system and accompanying socio-cultural§knowledge. Communicative norms of contemporary§colloquial Russian are surveyed, including§gender-related and generational variations.§Recommendations for teaching and assessment are§provided, as well as suggestions for study abroad§planning. §§This book will be useful to second language§professionals, researchers and teachers alike,§particularly those interested in interlanguage and§cross-cultural pragmatics, as well as those involved§in formulating study abroad policies.