Conversational Dominance as a Feature of Interactional Fluency in L1 Finnish and L2 English Interaction: A Mixed Methods Study
Selin, Lea (2025-01-20)
Conversational Dominance as a Feature of Interactional Fluency in L1 Finnish and L2 English Interaction: A Mixed Methods Study
(20.01.2025)
Julkaisu on tekijänoikeussäännösten alainen. Teosta voi lukea ja tulostaa henkilökohtaista käyttöä varten. Käyttö kaupallisiin tarkoituksiin on kielletty.
avoin
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on:
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2025021412122
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2025021412122
Tiivistelmä
This thesis investigates the interactional fluency of both first language (L1) and second language (L2) speech in dialogue interactions, specifically through the concept of conversational dominance. The study examines how the symmetry or asymmetry of language proficiency between two speakers, as well as the language of the interaction (L1 Finnish and L2 English), is connected to the quantity and distribution of participation in dialogue conversations.
The study aimed to expand the existing research on L2 fluency that has mostly focused on monologic data, by examining pair interactions, as well as researching the relationship between L1 and L2 fluency. The study utilized a mixed methods approach, which combines both qualitative and quantitative aspects of data analysis. The data set consisted of 50 recorded pair interactions between advanced learners of English, each pair engaging in two problem-solving tasks, one in Finnish (L1) and one in English (L2). Conversational dominance was operationalized using various measures, such as number of words, number of turns, participation percentage, and average turn length. The participants’ L2 proficiency was assessed using the LexTALE vocabulary test.
The research found that the pairs with more symmetrical L2 proficiency levels (LexTALE scores) tended to have more quantitatively balanced L2 conversations, whereas pairs that were more asymmetrical in terms of LexTALE scores were found to have less balanced interactions, often with the more proficient speaker taking the role of the more dominant speaker. Furthermore, a link between L1 and L2 conversations was discovered, with the conversational roles of the more dominant and less dominant speaker usually staying on the same speaker in both L1 and L2 interactions, suggesting consistency in conversational dominance across languages.
The study aimed to expand the existing research on L2 fluency that has mostly focused on monologic data, by examining pair interactions, as well as researching the relationship between L1 and L2 fluency. The study utilized a mixed methods approach, which combines both qualitative and quantitative aspects of data analysis. The data set consisted of 50 recorded pair interactions between advanced learners of English, each pair engaging in two problem-solving tasks, one in Finnish (L1) and one in English (L2). Conversational dominance was operationalized using various measures, such as number of words, number of turns, participation percentage, and average turn length. The participants’ L2 proficiency was assessed using the LexTALE vocabulary test.
The research found that the pairs with more symmetrical L2 proficiency levels (LexTALE scores) tended to have more quantitatively balanced L2 conversations, whereas pairs that were more asymmetrical in terms of LexTALE scores were found to have less balanced interactions, often with the more proficient speaker taking the role of the more dominant speaker. Furthermore, a link between L1 and L2 conversations was discovered, with the conversational roles of the more dominant and less dominant speaker usually staying on the same speaker in both L1 and L2 interactions, suggesting consistency in conversational dominance across languages.