An investigation of the relationship between language proficiency and pragmatic competence among Iraqi EFL undergraduate students

Abstract

      (This research aims to find out the relationship between language proficiency and pragmatic competence among Iraqi EFL undergraduate students whether the pragmatic competence would be achieved completely by students with different proficiency levels  in a pragmatic test. This study also aims to find out the relationship between language proficiency and pragmatic competence to achieve communicative competence perfectly. It also examins whether there is any significant difference between the performance of females and males according to language proficiency and pragmatic competence. The sample was selected randomly which consists of 120 university students  including 30 females and 30 males in English translation department at Mosul University, moreover, 30 females and 30 males in English translation department at Tikrit University .The sample vary according to gender and  age (freshmen or fresh women and seniors). The researcher uses three levels; beginning, intermediate and advanced  which the participants are placed in. These levels are based on the results of the proficiency (TOFEL) test. In addition, the researcher uses pragmatic competence test(MDCT) to examine the extent of participants' pragmatic competence.The data are analyzed statistically by using the SPSS program in order to provide a descriptive analysis. Finally, the results of the study obtained through statistical analyses show that there is no significant relationship between language proficiency and pragmatic competence. This means, the students with different proficiency levels do not perform differently in the pragmatic tests. The male participants performance is not good in pragmatic and proficiency test.)