Recent research (Tarone 2001; Broner & Tarone (2001); Cook 2000; Lantolf 1997) in second language acquisition notes the importance of language play (LP) in the development of competence in the target language. This study investigated how five pairs of advanced proficiency adult English as second language (ESL) learners helped each other to decipher the double meaning of a series of phonological, morphological, syntactical, and lexical puns that appeared in common comic strips. Grounded in sociocultural theory (Vygotsky 1978), the study used microgenetic analysis of the collaborative dialogue between the participants to determine the patterns of assistance the learners employed to reach comprehension. Microgenetic analysis also revealed evidence of learner-generated attention to the aspects of language that created the ambiguity in the puns.
Analysis of the results indicated that the dialogues developed differently according to the relative expertise of the participants at the beginning of each triadic interaction. If both participants understood, they offered a joint explanation. When one understood, that participant explained while the other gave listening signals. The final scenario was that of neither understanding, in which event the pa pants worked together to comprehend the double meaning. In all cases, there was evidence of joint construction of meaning through such strategies as completing each other’s thoughts, supplying synonyms, asking questions, paraphrasing and using gestures. The task of deciphering the double meaning of the puns also prompted attention to the aspect of language that created the ambiguity in 35 of the 40 PRDs.
Although the aim of the study was to investigate the interaction between the participants, analysis of the transcripts revealed that the researcher played a more prominent role than anticipated. The interventions of the researcher in keeping the participants on task and providing assistance were a factor in an increased comprehension rate from 28.75% at the beginning of the dialogues to 91.25% in follow-up interviews. The importance of attending to the linguistic element that created the ambiguity in the pun was underscored by the result that the participants achieved understanding in only one of the PRDs that did not contain a language focused episode (LFE).
