Adult migrant English learners’ use of English as a lingua franca in Malta

Abstract

This qualitative study documented the ELF pragmatic strategies used by six migrants with low English proficiency in Malta. During two 1.5-hour sessions, the participants engaged in collaborative English activities which attempted to simulate everyday topics (e.g., going out with friends; playing sports). Transcriptions from the recorded sessions were then reviewed and analysed. 16 examples of pragmatic strategies were chosen for the analysis, specifically in the pre-emptive, remedial, and accommodative categories. The results, in keeping with other ELF research, indicate that the participants employed a wide and flexible range of pragmatic strategies to achieve their communicative goals. This study in particular notes the use of interactional humour to suit a variety of purposes.