Cross-cultural pragmatic failure and the esl classroom

Language learning does not only involve the mastery of grammatical rules, it also includes the acquisition of the ability to use and understand language in context. This paper looks at pragmatic competence in second language teaching and learning. In the past a great deal of attention was given to the teaching of grammar. The seventies saw a move towards the communicative approach to language teaching. For the sake of brevity and emphasis, this paper concentrates on one aspect of communicative competence: pragmatic competence. Linguists agree that there is universality in human language. However cultures differ from one another and it is in linguistic behaviour that part of the diversity is realised. When people of different cultures, and indeed, different languages, have to share a common language, there is a great possibility of communication breakdown between native and non-native speakers as a result of cultural diversity. This paper examines cross-cultural communication breakdown and the implications it has on the teaching and learning of English as a second language.