Differences in L1 and L2 pragmatic competence: speaker proficiency, probability ratings and interpretation of Swedish discourse particles

Interpersonal discourse particles (DPs) are widely used in everyday language and convey speaker attitudes. Because of their syntactic flexibility and multifunctionality, DPs are also notoriously difficult for L2 speakers to acquire and use properly. Despite the growing body of literature on DPs, few studies have empirically investigated how these particles affect sentence interpretation in L1 use, and crucially, how the interpretation and comprehension differ between L1 and L2 speakers. This study investigates the Swedish DPs nog , ju , väl , egentligen and faktiskt from both L1 and L2 perspectives. In two experiments tapping into explicit knowledge, 123 L1 speakers and 126 L2 speakers were tested. Results show partial acquisition, and that L2 speakers and L1 speakers differ overall in terms of DP proficiency, use, and interpretation. L2 speakers also assign different levels of probability to DPs. The results are discussed in light of L2 pragmatics and the notion of pragmaticalization, offering explanations of, and insights into, the acquisition difficulties of DPs.