Abstract

This study investigates the levels and patterns of pragmatic awareness among Thai learners of French, comparing advanced and beginner groups with native French speakers. The research aims to assess sociopragmatic and pragmalinguistic awareness, focusing on how factors such as power dynamics, social distance, and conventional language forms influence language use. Data was collected from sixty participants through a seven-point Likert scale and speech act analysis tasks evaluating the appropriateness of requests and suggestions across diverse social contexts. Quantitative analysis using analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences between Thai learners and native speakers, with native speakers exhibiting higher pragmatic awareness. However, differences between advanced and beginner Thai learners were minimal. Qualitative analysis highlighted Thai learners’ struggles with indirect speech acts and limited understanding of negative politeness strategies in French. Their perceptions of power and social distance were influenced by Thai cultural norms rooted in hierarchical society, affecting their pragmatic choices. The findings emphasize the need to integrate sociocultural factors and pragmatic competence into language instruction. This integration will better prepare learners to navigate intercultural communication challenges, moving beyond grammatical proficiency to foster effective and contextually appropriate language use.