Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
TP115: Attractiveness: empirical and theoretical perspectives
The use of Estonian pragmatic particles by Russian-speaking students is of particular theoretical and empirical interest. The research was carried out among Russian-speaking students during the 2006/2007 academic year at Tallinn University and Narva College of Tartu University, which are bilingual and predominantly Russian-speaking environments respectively. Pragmatic particles do not necessarily cause the subsequent use of Estonian in the sentence or conversation, nor do they determine the matrix language in the clause containing them. In addition, the use of Estonian pragmatic particles in Estonia’s Russian has not reached the stage where L2 items replace the native equivalents.
The question is whether only the linguistic repertoire of the students and their contacts with Estonian-speakers facilitate the incorporation of such items into L1 speech, or whether pragmatic particles as such are attractive because they make the speech more expressive and ‘interesting’ for the speakers.
Session: Themed Panel (part 2)
Attractiveness: empirical and theoretical perspectives
Thursday, April 3, 2008, 15:45-17:15
room: 01