A Suggested Course for Enhancing the Pragmatic Awareness of Interpreting Implicatures by University EFL Learners

Abstract

Raising the pragmatic awareness of interpreting implicature through explicit instruction in EFL settings using Grice’s (1975) has attracted the attention of scholars. However, the application of the theory in actual teaching environments has faced some theoretical challenges and practical difficulties, though the application more often than not involved EFL learners with advanced proficiency in English. While Grice’s (1975) theory has impacted the teaching of implicature, it is not in itself sufficient for a course of interpreting implicature in EFL settings, not to mention the settings of university large multi-level classrooms, an area of research which, up to the researcher’s knowledge, has not been given due attention. This study is a conceptual one based on logical reasoning and existing knowledge. It proposes that the teaching of Grice’s theory avoids the theoretical complications and concentrates instead on the logical underpinning of the theory with a gestalt view of the cooperative principle, maxims, and the non-observance of the pertinent maxims. It also suggests that this theoretical framework be supplemented with a model of intercultural interaction to remedy the culture-bound aspect of implicature. It, therefore, aims to present such a model together with the inclusion of authentic multi-media interactions as teaching material to bridge this gap. On the basis of this theoretical framework, the study offers a course that seeks to provide EFL students with the knowledge and abilities needed to raise their pragmatic awareness to understand implicature, using Grice’s (1975) theory in a simplistic theoretical framework, a model for intercultural interaction, multi-media authentic teaching materials, and some techniques to address the issue of large multi-level classes in EFL settings at the university level.