Illocutionary transparency and oragmatic markedness in Cross-linguistic perspective

Abstract

This paper reviews the notions of illocutionary transparency and pragmatic markedness from a cross-linguistic perspective. Such a review is carried out in the light of the role they play in indirect behaviour in Brazilian Portuguese, British English and in the Brazilian advanced EFL (English as a Foreign Language) leaners' pragmatic production. On the basis of three empirical studies, it is claimed that the inference-based pragmatic model, commonly used to explain indirect directive behaviour, can only be accepted cross-linguistically if the notion of pragmatic markedness is also taken into account. In addition, it is argued here that such a notion plays a crucial role in accounting for the occurrence of cross-linguistic influence in the interlanguage production of directives.