Effects of Participating in Multicultural Communication for English Learners on their Second and Third Language Use

Abstract

The present paper analyzes the effects of participating in intercultural communication in English as a lingua franca among second- or third-language speakers from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. By analyzing English conversations between eight pairs of Japanese students and overseas students from China, South Korea, and Vietnam, this study demonstrates how the English learners attempt to find a way to connect with each other at their first meeting using the language they learned in different countries. Through the conversation analysis focusing on the number of utterances as well as the occurrence of silence and the use of back-channeling, it becomes apparent that social or cultural norms underlying the participants’ communication strategies can differ from those commonly shared in English-speaking countries. Unlike in English conversations between first-language speakers, these learners show a high degree of tolerance for frequent silence and for the extensive use of back-channeling that is often labeled as negative transfer from Japanese linguistic behavior. Silence can be interpreted as a process of making efforts to make themselves understood in English and back-channeling as a sign of showing interests rather than a lack of understanding of English communication style. Furthermore, the shifting degree of involvement in conversations observable in their utterances highlights the moments when their motivation to participate increases. The research on the factors contributing to these positive changes in attitudes supports the view that learning opportunities through multicultural communication should be actively incorporated into language education.