1. Format-Trentino Ospedale San Camillo Trento © 2015 Novantiqua Multimedia
Pragmatic competence and pragmatic failure
in cross cultural communication:
usage of vehicular languages and standardised tools
Paolo Tentori - Novantiqua Multimedia

2. Format-Trentino Ospedale San Camillo Trento © 2015 Novantiqua Multimedia
Cross cultural communication
Webref: Thomas J., Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Failure,
https://rodas5.us.es/file/a26cd06f-d80f-47b8-a5f0-fb23430aa5fc/1/thomas_failure_wimba_SCORM.zip/files/thomas_pragmatic_failure.pdf
Communication between two people who don’t share
a common linguistic or cultural background.
Linguistic competence
Decontextualized knowledge of
“intonation, syntax, semantic”.
Pragmatic competence
The ability to use language
“effectively in context”.

3. Format-Trentino Ospedale San Camillo Trento © 2015 Novantiqua Multimedia
Cross cultural communication
Webref: Thomas J., Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Failure,
https://rodas5.us.es/file/a26cd06f-d80f-47b8-a5f0-fb23430aa5fc/1/thomas_failure_wimba_SCORM.zip/files/thomas_pragmatic_failure.pdf
Communication between two people who don’t share
a common linguistic or cultural background.
Linguistic competence
“Grammar”
Decontextualized
“formal system of language”.
Pragmatic competence
“Pragmatics”
The use of language
“in a goal-oriented speech
situation”.

4. Format-Trentino Ospedale San Camillo Trento © 2015 Novantiqua Multimedia
Cross cultural communication
Webref: Thomas J., Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Failure,
https://rodas5.us.es/file/a26cd06f-d80f-47b8-a5f0-fb23430aa5fc/1/thomas_failure_wimba_SCORM.zip/files/thomas_pragmatic_failure.pdf
Communication between two people who don’t share
a common linguistic or cultural background.
Linguistic competence
“Grammar”
Prescriptive rules.
Pragmatic competence
“Pragmatics”
Probable rather then categorical
rules.
“The nature of pragmatic ambivalence is such that it is not possi-
ble to say that the pragmatic force of an utterance is ‘wrong’.
All we must avoid
is that it could fail to achieve the speaker’s goal.

5. Format-Trentino Ospedale San Camillo Trento © 2015 Novantiqua Multimedia
Cross cultural communication
Webref: Thomas J., Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Failure,
https://rodas5.us.es/file/a26cd06f-d80f-47b8-a5f0-fb23430aa5fc/1/thomas_failure_wimba_SCORM.zip/files/thomas_pragmatic_failure.pdf
Communication between two people who don’t share
a common linguistic or cultural background.
Sentence meaning
One level “of meaning”.
Speaker meaning
Several level “of meaning”.

6. Format-Trentino Ospedale San Camillo Trento © 2015 Novantiqua Multimedia
Cross cultural communication
Webref: Thomas J., Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Failure,
https://rodas5.us.es/file/a26cd06f-d80f-47b8-a5f0-fb23430aa5fc/1/thomas_failure_wimba_SCORM.zip/files/thomas_pragmatic_failure.pdf
Speaker’s intention
Pragmatic failure
Inability to understand
“what is meant by what is said”.
Pragmatic competence
Ability to understand
“what is meant by what is said”.

7. Format-Trentino Ospedale San Camillo Trento © 2015 Novantiqua Multimedia
Cross cultural communication
Webref: Thomas J., Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Failure,
https://rodas5.us.es/file/a26cd06f-d80f-47b8-a5f0-fb23430aa5fc/1/thomas_failure_wimba_SCORM.zip/files/thomas_pragmatic_failure.pdf
Standardised translation
Linguistic propose
“Grammar”
Provided “from specialistes:
translators, cultural mediators”.
Pragmatic instruments
“Pragmatics”
Several level “of instruments:
written, audio, direct speech”.
Enel

8. Format-Trentino Ospedale San Camillo Trento © 2015 Novantiqua Multimedia
Webref: http://www.gr.ch/DE/themen/Integration/neuzugezogen/gesundheit/krankheit/Seiten/default.aspx
Cross cultural communication
Pragmatic instruments
“Flexibility”
in language processing
“Problem solving”
approach

9. Format-Trentino Ospedale San Camillo Trento © 2015 Novantiqua Multimedia
Cross cultural communication
Pragmatic instruments
Telephone interpreter services
Webref: http://www.eurostreet.it
https://www.apss.tn.it/stranieri

10. Format-Trentino Ospedale San Camillo Trento © 2015 Novantiqua Multimedia
Cross cultural communication
Webref: Stathopoulou M. (2015). Cross-Language Mediation in Foreign Language Teaching and Testing, Bristol: Mul-
tilingual Matter
Interlingual Mediation
Recontextualisation
Simplification, condensation,
elaboration, refocusing.
Compatibility
Mediation strategy in order to
achieve a communicative goal.