Understanding indirect meaning: A close replication

Abstract

Pragmatic competence covers a range of skills, including the ability to interpret indirect meaning (i.e., any instance where there is a mismatch between literal and intended meaning). Past research has suggested that indirect meaning poses comprehension challenges for learners of a second language (L2). This result has been explained with reference to the influence of proficiency and the linguistic/discourse-level conventionality of indirect meaning types. To verify and potentially extend these results, we conducted a close replication of a 2016 study of indirect meaning comprehension in L2 Spanish by Taguchi and colleagues, for which we used a group of L2 French learners. Results confirmed most of the study's findings. In our interpretation, we suggest that our results are consistent with the idea that difficulties with indirect meaning comprehension largely stem from lacunae in general oral comprehension, thus calling into question the idea that indirect meaning may be globally more difficult to interpret.