Intercultural pragmatic diversity

Abstract

With English as the medium of instruction (EMI) at UK universities, international Chinese graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are crucial in the delivery of teaching and learning support. While their English proficiency is generally strong, the influence of first language (L1) pragmatic transfer remains a key consideration, particularly the transfer of Chinese modal particles, which are functional words that convey the speaker’s attitude, stance, or communicative intent. Developing (meta)pragmatic awareness is therefore essential for second language (L2) speakers to interpret and apply pragmatic norms appropriately in instructional contexts. This study examines L2 speakers in instructional roles within EMI settings at UK universities. Through a longitudinal qualitative investigation of nine Chinese GTAs from two UK universities, this study delineates Chinese GTAs’ progression of (meta)pragmatic awareness of L1 pragmatic transfer and how Chinese modal particles (including ba 吧 , ma 吗 , and bei 呗 ) are reflected in their teacher requests during classroom teaching. The findings suggest that Chinese GTAs can retain L2 output intelligibility while incorporating L1-influenced pragmatic features, revealing how intercultural pragmatic transfer can transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries, and highlighting the importance of embracing intercultural pragmatic diversity for a more inclusive and internationalised discourse in UK higher education contexts.