ABSTRACT
Language teachers frequently use the term ‘motivation’ when they describe successful or unsuccessful learners. This reflects our intuitive belief that during the lengthy and often tedious process of mastering a foreign/second language (L2), the learner’s enthusiasm, commitment and persistence are key determinants of success or failure. Indeed, in the vast majority of cases, learners with sufficient motivation can achieve a working knowledge of an L2, regardless of their language aptitude, whereas without sufficient motivation even the brightest learners are unlikely to persist long enough to attain any really useful language (‘you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink’).
