Abstract
Abstract
Pragmalinguistic competence, or knowledge of linguistic forms (e.g., lexical items, prosodic features, and syntactic forms) and their communicative functions, constitutes an important part of the L2 learner's ability to use language as social action. Because learners' pragmalinguistic competence is closely related to their linguistic development (development of phonology, lexis, morphology, and syntax), their ability to produce communicative actions may be constrained by their limited knowledge of linguistic forms. At the same time, knowing linguistic forms does not always mean knowing their associated social functions. As a result, learners do not always put the acquired forms to appropriate pragmatic use. This indicates the importance of devoting instructional time to aid the acquisition of L2 pragmalinguistic form–function mappings. This entry addresses the development of pragmalinguistic competence in the L2 and reviews findings from existing L2 pragmatics research. The focus is on the pragmalinguistic aspect of learner language in relation to interlanguage development and instruction. To understand the relationship between pragmatic and linguistic competence further research into the pragmalinguistic aspect of L2 development is needed.