Presenters:Agung Diah Wulandari // Ardiansyah // Eka Uliyanti // Paula Kristanti

Exploring Learners’ Referential Communication and Strategies

Referential CommunicationReferential communication can be defined as the way the speakers exchange information by way of referencing to certain entities (e.g. people, things, events) they emphasize in order to maintain communication (Tarone & Swierzbin, 2008).

When does referential communication occur? It can occur when there are two speakers who exchange information by making reference (CARLA, 2013).

In English for example, if you want to buy one of the cars in the showroom, and the salesman asks ‘which one?’ you can refer precisely to the one you are going to buy by using: names (the Corvette), noun modifiers, like adjectives (the red car), prepositional phrases (the car in the upper left-hand corner), relative clauses (the car that you just put on the shelf) (CARLA, 2013)

Generally, a speaker might refer to entities (things and people) and their location or movement, by naming or describing them clearly that a listener can identify them (which one exactly?), their locations (where exactly?) and movements (what did they do exactly?), (CARLA, 2013).

The importance of referential communication (Tarone & Swierzbin, 2008, pp. 67-68)

•To facilitate communication so that both speaker and hearer can finally reach agreement on what they are discussing. •To create effective communication.

According to Tarone (1980, pp. 61-74) there are several strategies of communication, such as :

Paraphrase -Approximation (the used of single vocabulary in target language, the learners use enough semantic features in common with the desired item to make the interlocutors are statisfy. E.g pipe for waterpipe) -Word coinage (the learners usually make a new word to interact with the interlocutors . e.g. airball for ballon)-Circumlocution (the learners usually describe the characteristics or the elements of the object)

Borrowing-Literal translation (learners translates with word to word from first language. E.g. He invites him to drink, for They toast one another)-Language switch (the learners employ the first language term without omit to translate. E.g. balon for Ballon, tirtil for caterpillar)-Appeal for assistance (the learners usually ask to the interlocutors for the right term. E.g. ‘what is this? What called?”)-Mime (the learners use non-verbal strategies to alternate of a lexical item or action. E.g. clapping one’s hands to illustrate applause)

Avoidance - Topic avoidance ( the learners try to speak about concepts for which the target language items not known)- Message abandonment ( the learners start to speak about something or concept but is unable to continue in mid utterance)

•Exploring how the Spanish learners’ strategies in referential communication to refer people, things, and events.•Analyzing the two Spanish learners’ communication strategies in retell task.

Objective of Analysis

Source of Data The data will be taken from transcript of the interview from Spanish learners in retell task.

Data collection technique will be conducted by way of:1.Watching the videos2.Reading the transcript3.Identifying the data4.Highlighting the data from the transcript5.Listing them into a table

Method of Analysis

Summary of Previous StudiesWang (2008)

Method: exploring gender differences in the use of referential communication strategies by EFL learners in a

university in China

Result: females used more paraphrasing strategies than their male counterparts

Ahmadian and Yadgari (2011)

Method: comparing referential communication strategy used by extrovert and introvert learners

Result: introvert participants used more conceptual strategies, while extroverts used more literal translation

Mahardhika (2014)

Method: comparing referential communication strategy used by male and female students of speaking class of in a

University in Lampung

Result: male students use literal translation and appeal for help more frequently than female students; while females

used non linguistic signal (hand gesture) more than males

Analysis Line Reference (People, things, events) Strategy

Rodrigo 2he he has to, uh school. And your class, is nine o'clock and...

Using your instead of his  Paraphrase - Approximation

3 don't know es, sleeping, yeah Using L1: spanish Borrowing - Language switch

7Mm and uh in this picture he lost, the [kay], the [kay]? And... Not the right word/wrong spelling Paraphrase - Approximation

10And and, he, eh, eh don't, he don't, don't take, your class...

Using your instead of his

Paraphrase - Approximation

12 In this picture (laughs) in the, Mohammed, eh, smile Using non-verbal to associate Borrowing - Mime

14the winter and cold (laughs) and and, they, they are happy, in this picture... Associating “cold” to winter Paraphrase - Circumlocution

Antonio 3Uh, Ahmed,eh, try wake up, uh, because he, he's late, uh, This, uh y- your watch Translating word to word from the L1 Borrowing – Literal Translation

17The the window, um because, the snow, no allow the see?

Translating word to word from the L1 Borrowing – Literal Translation

4Uh uh one five. And, I don’t know I can’t I can’t see. This clock

Unable to continue/saying “I don’t know” + saying clock instead of watch

Avoidance - Message abandonment + Paraphrase -

Approximation

12 Minnesota, It's cold. Poor Ah, Ahmed? Associating “cold” to winter Paraphrase - Circumlocution

Findings and Discussion-Rodrigo uses paraphrase and borrowing referental strategies in retell task

-Antonio uses paraphrase, borrowing and avoidance referental strategies in retell task

Rodrigo sometimes uses his L1 in the retell task. Antonio tends to use avoidance strategy in the

referential communication.

• Paraphrase & Borrowing are the typical Spanish learners’ referential communicationConclusion

ReferencesAhmadian, M. & Yadgari, H. R. (2011). The relationship between extraversion/introversion and the use of strategic

competence in oral referential communication. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 53(222), 1-27.

CARLA (2013). Overview on Referential Communication. Retrieved from:

http://www.carla.umn.edu/learnerlanguage/reference.html

Mahardhika, P. (2014). The effect of gender on communication strategies. Konferensi Linguistik Tahunan Atma Jaya, 12, 41-45.

Tarone, E (1983). Strategies in interlanguage communication. In C. Faerch & G. Kasper (Eds ), Some thoughts on the notion of

communication strategy (pp. 61-74). New York: Longman.

Tarone, E., & Swierzbin, B. (2009). Exploring learner language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Wang, L. M. (2008). A study of gender differences in communication strategies by EFL learners. Foreign Languages and Their

Teaching, 8, 37-41.