Norms and Variation in L2 Pragmatics

This chapter discusses the study of intralingual regional pragmatic variation by presenting existing findings on such variation. It deals with suggestions for future research and practical implications. The chapter focuses on regional pragmatic variation as a type of macro-social pragmatic variation. It explores variation at the formal level and in particular on discourse-pragmatic marker use. The context of second language (L2) use also affects whether L2 users produce a regional pragmatic form or not. L2 users, for instance, show different preferences for the localized norm depending on whether the context of use is global or local. While a regionalized pragmatic norm may be rejected in a global context, it may be accepted in a local context as a means of displaying alignment with local speakers. L2 speakers may also use regionalized pragmatic features to construct an identity that aligns them to local context.