The Interpersonal Positioning of L2 Writers in

Argumentative Texts

Efstathia Samara

Ph. D. Candidate

University of Athens

Interpersonal positioning refers to

How writers position themselves in relation to their readers

How lexico-grammatical choices construe different types of authorial ‘voice’ and social relationships

Dialogic approach to writing Bakhtin’s views of language

Writing is a form of verbal interaction

Writers should constantly anticipate and respond to readers’ potential reactions

Objectives of the study

To explore how far L2 writers can manage their interaction with readers

To explicate EFL writer’s problems in terms of interpersonal meanings

Text Analysis at two levels:

AT A GENRE LEVEL

AT A DISCOURSE SEMANTICS LEVEL

Text analysis at a genre level

Generic structure of argument

Interpersonal function of generic stages – how the text has been structured to facilitate its processing by readers

Topic of argumentative essay:

Research indicates that the characteristics we are born with have much more influence on our personality and development than any experiences we may have in our life.

Which do you consider to be the major influence?

Prescribed steps in an analytical discussion with respective interpersonal

functions

1. Identification/ Background

2. Arguments for 1st position

3. Arguments against 1st position (Arguments for 2nd position)

4. Thesis

5. Reiteration of thesis/Summary of points/Suggestions

Seek attention/ Build background

Justify the point

Justify the point

Clarify writer’s stance on issue

Reinforce the stance taken

Elaboration of main points features the greatest variation

Student sample of ineffective, writer-oriented elaboration

“ In my opinion, experiences that we have in life have the major influence in our personality. Our characteristics make us act in several ways, but our experiences make us choose what we really want to do. With our experiences we learn to be social, independent and confident”.

Text analysis at a discourse semantics level:

MODALITY Signals the entry of other voices in

the text

Indicates the writer’s willingness to acknowledge diverse opinions

Opens up space for negotiation

Brings the ‘reader in the text’ (Thompson & Thetela)

Student sample with modality indicators

“ We exchange views and therefore we sometimes change the way we have been thinking from our birth. For example, when we are with friends and talking about the good and the bad in our life it is possible to change our view as we hear options we may have never been thought”.

*Mean Frequencies per 100 words

Results by Writing Proficiency

Writing Performance by level

Modality */

Discourse Semantics

Interactive Generic

Structure

B1 2.9 25%

B2 2.5 33%

C1 2.6 66%

Modality and Interactive Structure by Writing Proficiency Level

0

1

2

3

4

5

Modality Structure

B1 B2 C1

Pedagogical Implications

L2 writing can be improved if writers are explicitly taught to manage successful interaction in the text