Metalinguistic relativity and the personal pronoun paradigm

Document Type

Book chapter

Source Publication

Psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives on second language learning and teaching : studies in honour of Waldemar Marton

Publication Date

5-22-2013

First Page

233

Last Page

244

Publisher

Springer Berlin Heidelberg

Abstract

This chapter looks at the personal pronoun paradigm, particularly as it is applied in pedagogic descriptions of English. It examines the numerous deficiencies of this model, and criticizes the way it obliges practitioners to ignore other factors and dimensions, in particular the extensive use of personal pronouns for generic reference. The concept of metalinguistic relativity, whereby descriptions are forced into a metalinguistic straightjacket inherited from the past, is applied to this situation. This chapter argues that if grammar teaching is to have any role in the language classroom, then more accurate and appropriate descriptions are needed.

DOI

10.1007/978-3-642-23547-4_14

Publisher Statement

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Additional Information

ISBN of the source publication: 978364223546

This is a revised and extended version of a paper presented at the 44th Annual International IATEFL Conference, Harrogate, April 2010.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Berry, R. S. (2013). Metalinguistic relativity and the personal pronoun paradigm. In Krystyna Drozdzial-Szelest, & Miroslaw Pawlak (Eds.), Psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives on second language learning and teaching: Studies in honour of Waldemar Marton (pp. 233-244). London: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-23547-4_14

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