Speaker
ABSTRACT
Greco-Latin and Anglo-Saxon words have long held a prominent position in English rhetoric. The same holds true in modern English (Fowler 1907; Farnsworth 2011). This presentation centers on an ongoing study that investigates L2 learners’ perception of the rhetorical effect of Greco-Latin and Anglo-Saxon words. Key questions addressed are: 1. What effect does lexicon have on L2 learners in terms of persuasive communication? 2. Do L2 learners respond to the rhetorical effects embedded in the phonological features of Greco-Latin and Anglo-Saxon words, and if so, how? 3. Do L2 learners show preference for Latinate vocabulary over Germanic, or vice versa, and why? A group of 16 students in a debate course will participate in the study. The first part of the study analyzes the lyrics of Enchanted (Swift 2010). The ratio of Greco-Latin words to Anglo-Saxon words is calculated for each section of the song. The participants will be asked to rank each section based on how easy it is to picture the content before taking part in an interview. This study will contribute to understanding L2 learners’ sensitivity to rhetorical patterns of the English language, and assess the necessity of rhetorical instruction for L2 learners.
KEYWORDS
Rhetoric
Teaching L2 Writing
EFL
Latin and Saxon words
| TITLE | L2 Perception of Rhetorical Effect of Greco-Latinate and Anglo-Saxon Words |
|---|---|
| RELEVANT SIG | Intercultural Communication in Language Education |
| FORMAT | Research-oriented Oral Face-to-face presentation (25 minutes, including Q&A) |
