Address forms are the ‘slippery’ multifaceted semantic sub-systems in human languages. The sociolinguistic rules governing their employment are notoriously difficult. Therefore, even native speakers encounter problems while using them (Afful 2007; Dewaele 2004). The picture becomes even more complicated when individuals start employing address forms in their foreign/second languages. The value priorities and the hierarchical orders that govern the use of address forms rarely overlap across cultures and when they are ignored in foreign language classes, students are often confused and feel as if they are “crossing linguistic minefields” (Dewaele 2004:383). Therefore, more research aiming to uncover the problems that language learners (LL) experience while acquiring/learning and employ those assorted units is needed.
The aim of the papers in this panel is exactly that. The studies, utilizing an array of data collection and analysis methods (DCTs, e-mails, Facebook interactions, focus groups, interviews, questionnaires, recall protocols) in various contexts (ESL/EFL, study abroad) examine why, when and where LL experience difficulties in learning/utilizing address forms in their target/weaker languages and whether or not native cultures help/inhibit the learning/use of new address systems. The studies in the panel are also unique/valuable since they focus not only on the frequently learned/studied languages (e.g., Chinese, English, French, German) but also on less commonly learned/studied (e.g., Arabic, Bosnian, Finnish, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Thai, Turkish) languages and allow for more refined comparison of the results in diverse learning environments.
The findings of the studies, regardless of the native and target languages examined in the papers, concur that tailor made instruction raising students’ awareness about the various uses of address forms in different contexts is needed. The results also show that unless refined instruction helping students to disambiguate the numerous sociopragmatic meanings of address forms in the target languages is provided the problems related to their comprehension and use perpetuate even at the very advance levels.
References
Afful, J.B.A. (2007). Address forms and variation among university students in Ghana. Nordic Journal of African Studies, 16 (2), 179-196.
Dewaele, J.M. (2004). Vous or tu? Native and non-native speakers of French on a sociolinguistic tightrope. IRAL, 42, 383-402.
