Ways of Expressing Birthday, Christmas and New Year’s and Easter Wishes in L2 and L3: Cross-Cultural Transfer and Interlanguage Pragmatics

Abstract

The purpose of the study was an analysis of learners' ways of expressing birthday, Christmas and New Year's as well as Easter wishes in L2 and L3. Particular attention was paid to cross-cultural transfer and both the subjects' achievement and reduction strategies. The study was carried out with 52 L2 and L3 learners whose native languages were: Polish, English, French, German, Portuguese and Russian. The subjects' L2s and L3s were English, French and German and, for comparison, extra information on target language wishes was elicited from native speakers working as teachers of those languages. The questionnaire was divided into three parts, asking the subjects how they would write birthday, Christmas and New Year's and Easter wishes in their L1, L2 and L3. Moreover, they were supposed to write wishes at three levels of formality: to a peer (brother, sister or friend—in all three languages), to a relative older than themselves (only in L1) and to someone with whom they were in official relations (for example, their foreign language teacher). As the results show, the subjects' achievement strategies were of three types. First, L1 transfer was observed, either, rarely, in the form of literal translation or, more frequently, as the transfer of cultural values (for example, emphasis on health). Second, some subjects tried to sound native-like, either by using target language formulae (e.g., ‘Happy Birthday and many happy returns of the day’) or by inventing their own, non-L1 formulae. Third, for fear of pragmatic failure, some subjects limited themselves to basic forms, such as 'Happy Birthday', especially in L3. Message reduction was also observed, particularly in L3, often in the form of message abandonment (leaving a gap in the questionnaire).

16.6 Appendix

The English version of the questionnaire (it was also prepared in identical German and French versions, depending on the subjects’ language combination). Originally, it took three pages, because the spaces between the questions were large enough for the subjects to write relatively elaborate wishes in. Here, for technical reasons, the spaces have been reduced.

A cross-linguistic study of birthday, Christmas and New Year’s, and Easter wishes.

Page 1.

• 1. Native language: _________________________

• 2. How would you write birthday wishes in your native language to:

  • a) a friend (or your brother, sister or cousin)

  • b) a member of your family who is older than you (one of your parents/grandparents; your uncle/aunt)

  • c) someone with whom you are in official relations

• 3. How would you write Christmas and/or New Year’s wishes to:

  • a) a friend (or your brother, sister or cousin)

  • b) a member of your family who is older than you (one of your parents/grandparents; your uncle/aunt)

  • c) someone with whom you are in official relations

• 4. How would you write Easter wishes to:

  • a) a friend (or your brother, sister or cousin)

  • b) a member of your family who is older than you (one of your parents/grandparents; your uncle/aunt)

  • c) someone with whom you are in official relations

N.B. If, in your language or culture, one of the above options is considered, for example, impolite or it is not customary, do not write any wishes in the corresponding space. However, please, indicate that it is not done and explain why.

Please, write something more than ‘bare’ greeting formulas. Instead, write the whole contents of, for example, a postcard.

Page 2.

• 1. L2: _________________________ Level (time of study): ___________________

• 2. How would you write birthday wishes in your L2 to:

  • a) a friend

  • b) someone with whom you are in official relations

• 3. How would you write Christmas and/or New Year’s wishes in your L2 to:

  • a) a friend

  • b) someone with whom you are in official relations

• 4. How would you write Easter wishes in your L2 to:

  • a) a friend

  • b) someone with whom you are in official relations

N.B. If you think that, in the culture of your L2, one of the above options is considered, for example, impolite or it is not customary, do not write any wishes in the corresponding space. However, please, indicate that it is not done and explain why.

Please, write something more than ‘bare’ greeting formulas. Instead, write the whole contents of, for example, a postcard.

Page 3.

• 1. L3: _________________________ Level (time of study): ___________________

• 2. How would you write birthday wishes in your L3 to:

  • a) a friend

  • b) someone with whom you are in official relations

• 3. How would you write Christmas and/or New Year’s wishes in your L3 to:

  • a) a friend

  • b) someone with whom you are in official relations

• 4. How would you write Easter wishes in your L3 to:

  • a) a friend

  • b) someone with whom you are in official relations

N.B. If you think that, in the culture of your L3, one of the above options is considered, for example, impolite or it is not customary, do not write any wishes in the corresponding space. However, please, indicate that it is not done and explain why.

Please, write something more than ‘bare’ greeting formulas. Instead, write the whole contents of, for example, a postcard.