Level of Pragmatic Understanding of the Bilinguals and Multi-linguals of the English and Indonesian Language Master’s Degrees Students

Arifuddin Arifuddin, Sukri H. M., Rusdiawan Rusdiawan

2017

Abstract

The completion of the study in the post-graduate programs of the University of Mataram requires a certain level of English proficiency measured with TOEFL test. The majority of the students find it difficult to achieve the minimum standard of the TOEFL score. Of the three sections of the Prediction TOEFL, Listening Comprehension section is most difficult one since it primarily measures pragmatic understanding. The present study examined pragmatic understanding of the bilinguals and multi-linguals of Indonesian and English master’s degree programs and its causes of difficulty. It contributes to the provision of a theory dealing with the relationship between bilingualism and pragmatic competence and English proficiency. This ex post facto research employed mixed-methods. Data were collected with a test and questionnaire from 19 students and then analyzed with descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis. Pragmatic understanding of the English master’s degree students is higher than that of Indonesian language master’s degree students, and bilinguals’ pragmatic understanding is higher than that of multi-linguals’. English master’s degree students’ pragmatic understanding of test Types A and B is higher than that of Indonesian language masters degrees’ students, and bilingual Indonesian masters degrees’ students pragmatic understanding is also higher than that of the Indonesian masters degrees’ students. The causes of difficulty of pragmatic understanding of the English students involve similarity of the choices and lack of prior knowledge, low inferential skill, and not understand implied meaning, proverbs, presuppositions, context, and idioms. The Indonesian master’s degrees students’ difficulties include limited vocabulary and lack of understanding of implied meaning, context, proverbs and presuppositions.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Arifuddin A., M. S. and Rusdiawan R. (2017). Level of Pragmatic Understanding of the Bilinguals and Multi-linguals of the English and Indonesian Language Master’s Degrees Students.In 2nd Asian Education Symposium - Volume 1: AES, ISBN 978-989-758-331-5, pages 135-144. DOI: 10.5220/0007300001350144

in Bibtex Style

@conference{aes17,
author={Arifuddin Arifuddin and Sukri H. M. and Rusdiawan Rusdiawan},
title={Level of Pragmatic Understanding of the Bilinguals and Multi-linguals of the English and Indonesian Language Master’s Degrees Students},
booktitle={2nd Asian Education Symposium - Volume 1: AES,},
year={2017},
pages={135-144},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0007300001350144},
isbn={978-989-758-331-5},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - 2nd Asian Education Symposium - Volume 1: AES,
TI - Level of Pragmatic Understanding of the Bilinguals and Multi-linguals of the English and Indonesian Language Master’s Degrees Students
SN - 978-989-758-331-5
AU - Arifuddin A.
AU - M. S.
AU - Rusdiawan R.
PY - 2017
SP - 135
EP - 144
DO - 10.5220/0007300001350144