Selective Fossilization Of Apology Speech Act In Chinese EFL Learners

Fossilization, as a universal phenomenon and typical feature of second languageacquisition (SLA), has attracted great attention of scholars in this field for a long time,and a number of achievements have been gained in terms of the causes and theprocess of fossilization. However, the previous studies concerning fossilization mostlyfocus on the levels of semantics, phonology and syntax, with only a small numberdiscussing the formation of fossilization in pragmatics. Besides, among the studies ofinterlanguage pragmatics, most of them are theoretical investigations from thecross-cultural perspective through comparing the language production of EFL(English as a Foreign Language) learners with that of the native speakers, neglectingthe inner acquisition process of learners. Research on the fossilization of pragmaticcompetence of English learners is rarely seen.Han (2009) has put forward Selective Fossilization Hypothesis of interlanguageand built an analytical model of selective fossilization, holding that the selectivity ofacquisition or fossilization depends largely on two aspects: L1markedness and L2input robustness. Therefore, this paper, taking apology speech act as an example,investigates the pragmatic competence of Chinese EFL learners of differentproficiency levels with the collected data of seven apology strategies of both ChineseEFL learners and the native speakers in eight common apologizing situations,analyzes the L1markedness and L2input robustness of apology strategies based onthe analytical model of selective fossilization, and discusses the selective fossilizationphenomenon of Chinese EFL learners’ pragmatic competence and its causes.Through analyzing the collected data of three Chinese EFL learner groups onapology strategy selection, this paper finds out the pragmatic competence doesn’tsurely enhance with the improvement of proficiency levels, and there is selectivefossilization in pragmatic competence. Among seven apology strategies, strategies oftaking on responsibility, explanation or account, offering repair and intensifiers showevidence of fossilization, and the other three strategies show no evidence. However,after analyzing the L1markedness and L2input robustness of seven apologystrategies, it is found that the analytical model of selective fossilization proposed byHan (2009) cannot fully explain the selective fossilization phenomenon in pragmaticcompetence in this paper. With further exploration of the causes of selectivefossilization in pragmatic competence, this paper believes that in addition to the two factors of L1markedness and L2input robustness, the selective fossilization ofpragmatic competence is also influenced by other factors, such as cultural factors.According to this, this paper provides some suggestions on avoiding fossilization inpragmatic competence in teaching process.