ABSTRACT
So far, we have looked at fluency research from an applied linguistic perspective that focuses on the fluency characteristics of utterances (Chapter 2), on processing fluency in cognitive domains outside the L2 area (Chapter 3), and on L2 cognitive fluency understood in terms of processing efficiency specific to language (Chapter 4). However, as can be seen from the dynamical systems framework presented in Figure 1.3 in Chapter 1, there remains another important element underlying L2 fluency-a social component. This chapter examines some of the ways that social considerations might enter into the fluency picture by addressing the fourth anchor question posed at the beginning of this book; namely, to what extent and in what way might social, motivational, and attitudinal factors serve as sources of influence on L2 fluency? In examining whether and how social factors may be associated with fluency, this chapter breaks relatively new ground and is therefore necessarily somewhat speculative. In the past, few researchers have considered what links might exist between social and cognitive factors in L2 performance. In particular, there are few empirical studies of the social determinants of fluency although, as will be seen, it is widely assumed by researchers who take a socially oriented approach to language that the social aspects of communication actually do play a role in L2 fluency. The goal of this chapter, therefore, will be to explore why and how social factors may be expected to have an impact on the development of both L2 cognitive fluidity and L2 oral fluency and to propose a perspective that integrates these social considerations. This integrated perspective is summarized in a revision of the dynamical systems framework presented earlier in Figure 1.3. The chapter closes by identifying the main conclusions about the social dimension of fluency that will be carried forward to Chapter 7.
