ABSTRACT
This final chapter outlines areas for future development in helping foreign-language users confront and negotiate difficult and uncomfortable situations. Greater understanding and research in both theoretical, practical and pedagogical terms can further facilitate increased communicative competence. To identify these areas, theoretical issues are examined regarding foreign-language perceptions concerning the presentation of the self and interpersonal relationships. Practical considerations need to consider and identify the type of communicative pressures foreign-language users may be under as they formulate responses and establish the content of the response. Pedagogically, there needs to be more research that focuses on the knowledge and competencies that foreign-language learners should develop in order to negotiate negative and difficult situations. Finally, the chapter underlines the contributions of this research and argues how it supports learner self-discovery and independence: English as a Foreign Language interactants are in a much stronger position to respond to difficult and confusing situations, impolite and rude encounters and hostile and aggressive incidents. Consequently, they can react with a greater sense of self-awareness and a wider range of pragmatic and discoursal resources.
