Pragmatic Competence Analysis Flashcards

When evaluating pragmatic competence in CEFR, 'appropriacy' refers to:

Answer: Matching language choices to the context, purpose, and relationship of the interlocutors

Appropriacy in CEFR pragmatics means selecting language that fits the social context, purpose, and relationship — not just what is linguistically accurate.

Which of the following best illustrates a 'face-saving' strategy in Politeness Theory?

Answer: Asking 'Would it be possible for you to...?' instead of 'Do this now'

Face-saving strategies protect the addressee's positive or negative face; indirect requests like 'Would it be possible...?' minimize imposition and protect autonomy.

In CEFR-aligned assessment, which skill is being tested when candidates must interpret the implied attitude of a speaker from tone and context rather than literal words?

Answer: Inferential pragmatic comprehension

Inferential pragmatic comprehension involves deriving meaning beyond the literal — understanding speaker intent, attitude, and implication from context and tone.

A C1-level learner is described as able to 'express themselves fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.' Which pragmatic sub-competence does this reflect?

Answer: Fluency and automaticity in managing real-time discourse

This descriptor reflects high fluency and automaticity in discourse management — the ability to produce and manage language in real time without undue cognitive strain.

Which of the following scenarios demonstrates 'positive politeness' as described in Brown and Levinson's framework?

Answer: Complimenting someone's work before making a request of them

Positive politeness strategies attend to the hearer's desire to be liked and admired, such as offering compliments or expressing solidarity before a request.

In CEFR's 'Can Do' descriptor approach, why is pragmatic competence difficult to assess compared to grammatical competence?

Answer: Pragmatic appropriacy depends on contextual and cultural variables that resist standardized measurement

Pragmatic appropriacy is context- and culture-dependent, making it harder to define universal benchmarks compared to the more rule-governed domain of grammar.

When a learner says 'I am not sure but I think the answer might possibly be...' before giving information they are confident about, they are using:

Answer: Over-hedging, a pragmatic feature sometimes linked to L1 transfer or insecurity

Over-hedging — using more epistemic markers than the context warrants — is a pragmatic feature often linked to L1 pragmatic transfer or lack of confidence in L2.