A comparative sociopragmatic analysis of the dialogues in Turkish and Azerbaijani B1-B2 EFL textbooks

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Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Ondokuz Mayıs University, Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü, İNGİLİZ DİLİ EĞİTİMİ ANABİLİM DALI, Turkey

Approval Date: 2020

Thesis Language: English

Student: ISGANDAR BABABAYLI

Supervisor: Nalan Kızıltan

Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection

Abstract:

Different communities assess social distance, social power, rights and obligations, and degree of imposition used in specific speech acts differently. As a result of this difference, foreign language learners are likely to make sociopragmatic failure. This kind of failure is harder to correct because of the learners' justifiable sensitivity in social (or political, religious, and moral) matters. Nevertheless, the resent studies demonstrate positive effects of instruction on the second-language learners' acquisition of pragmatics. However, there is almost no investigation on the representation of sociopragmatic features in second or foreign language textbooks. Considering that textbooks are essential for providing input for the learners in development of their sociopragmatic competence, we compared EFL textbooks designed and employed in state schools of Turkey with those designed and employed in state schools of Azerbaijan, to evaluate how sociopragmatic and related features have been addressed in dialogues present in these textbooks. The results of the investigation revealed that there are some significant differences between Turkish and Azerbaijani textbooks regarding representation of speech acts, vertical distance, and strength of socially defined rights and obligations. These differences, on the other hand, can be accounted for by the inadequate representation of speech situations. By this study, we aspired to draw textbook writers' attention to such inadequacies elimination of which may result in sociopragmatically more adequate textbooks, and attract second- or foreign language teachers and learners' attention on the significance of sociopragmatic competence for appropriate language use.