Contrastive rhetoric and second language writing : an examination of paragraphs, anaphora and the implications for L2 writing pedagogies

Abstract

Does language affect thought and perception? When speaking or writing, do individuals adhere to certain ways of thinking found only within the parameters of a particular language? Contrastive rhetoric considers both the similarities and differences found in languages and the linguistics implications of individual choices. This thesis examines Kaplan's notion of contrastive rhetoric (1966) and the influence of Benjamin Whorf's theory of linguistic relativity (1956) on Kaplan's original model. We review Christensen's (1965) work with paragraphs, its influence on Kaplan's notion of contrastive rhetoric and the far-reaching effects of his definition of paragraphs on the pedagogies employed by modern writing textbooks. We follow with a brief discussion of the studies that have supported Kaplan's premise and outline some of the criticisms of his 1966 study. Emerging definitions on contrastive rhetoric and a brief update of Kaplan's more recent work are discussed. Additionally, we discuss three different studies conducted for this paper. The first is a survey of ESL (English as Second Language) Writing Handbooks. Twenty-nine handbooks of varying levels of competency (Beginning Level, Intermediate Level, High Intermediate Level, and Advanced Level) were examined for their handling of paragraph construction. The second survey examines anaphora. Freshman composition students were polled an their choices of pronouns/nominals were examined. Implications for intra-paragraph transitions are outlined. The third study surveys American freshman composition students and Japanese ESL students and their preference of deductive in inductive sentence constructs. Finally, we discuss the changing definition on contrastive rhetoric and some of the pedagogical implications in the field of L2 writing.