Examining the Link between Motivation and Pragmatic Awareness: A Case Study of Iranian EFL Learners

Motivation is believed to have a significant impact on L۲ pragmatics acquisition as it influences learners' attention to pragmatic information, leading to increased noticing and awareness of target language features. This study examined the association between motivation and pragmatic awareness among Iranian students learning English as a foreign language (EFL). Data were collected from eighty-five Iranian university undergraduates majoring in English. They completed a motivation questionnaire and a multiple-choice discourse completion test, followed by semi-structured interviews on language appropriateness judgment and extracurricular English learning activities. The findings revealed Iranian EFL learners' limited pragmatic awareness and challenges in discerning the pragmatic implications of various linguistic strategies and forms in English. Motivation showed a significant correlation with pragmatic awareness, with intrinsic interest emerging as the primary contributing factor among the motivation subscales examined. Highly motivated learners demonstrated greater concern for authentic L۲ use and culture in their extracurricular learning activities and exerted more effort to engage with the target language. These results highlight the importance of emphasizing motivation in foreign/second language acquisition contexts and stimulating learners' interest in authentic L۲ use and culture to enhance pragmatic awareness.

Keywords:

motivation , pragmatic awareness , Iranian EFL learners , intrinsic interest , interlanguage pragmatics