Miscommunicated referent tracking in L2 English: a case-by-case analysis

For second language learners, reference remains a frequent source of error and pragmatic infelicity, even at relatively advanced levels. While most errors will be readily accommodated by the hearer, on some occasions they result in fundamental misunderstandings about what has been stated. This paper presents a case-by-case exploratory study of 22 such miscommunications and explores the discourse conditions under which such otherwise routine errors became problematic. Data are drawn from elicited narratives by 20 high-intermediate English language learners of various language backgrounds and their L1 English interlocutors. The discussion focuses on the two most prominent issues identified: the conditions under which pronoun errors triggered misunderstandings, and the contribution of pervasive over-explicitness to referent introductions being mistaken for referent tracking.