The concept of willingness to communicate (WTC) is pivotal in understanding student engagement in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms. As a dynamic and multifaceted construct, WTC is subject to continual fluctuations throughout the communication process, often changing situationally. Traditionally, learner silence in class or during second language (L2) conversations is perceived negatively, as it can signal a lack of motivation to speak, thereby impeding optimal language acquisition. However, silence can also function as a communicative strategy or reflect learners’ essential feelings and emotions. This study explored the relationship between Japanese EFL learners’ situational WTC and their instances of silence during L2 (English) conversations. Participants were recruited for the study and were asked to deliver short speeches and engage in conversations with a researcher, during which their periods of silence were observed and recorded. All participant utterances were meticulously transcribed and analysed. Additionally, participants self-assessed their WTC for each utterance, and a stimulated recall interview was conducted to gather in-depth qualitative data. The results generally indicated that participants’ WTC was somewhat decreased when silence occurred between and during utterances. However, the findings also revealed the intricate and multifaceted nature of silence in relation to WTC, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding and nuanced consideration of learners’ silence. This study highlights the complexity of the interplay between WTC and silence, suggesting that silence should not be solely viewed as a negative phenomenon but rather as an integral part of the communicative process that warrants careful analysis and understanding.

中文翻译：

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探索日本 EFL 学习者的沉默：它与交流意愿程度 （WTC） 的关系


沟通意愿 （WTC） 的概念对于理解学生在英语作为外语 （EFL） 课堂上的参与度至关重要。作为一个动态的、多方面的结构，WTC 在整个通信过程中会受到持续波动的影响，并且经常会随着情况的变化而变化。传统上，学习者在课堂上或第二语言 （L2） 对话中的沉默被认为是负面的，因为它可能表明缺乏说话的动力，从而阻碍最佳的语言习得。然而，沉默也可以作为一种交际策略或反映学习者的基本感受和情绪。本研究探讨了日本 EFL 学习者的情境 WTC 与他们在 L2（英语）对话中的沉默实例之间的关系。参与者被招募参加这项研究，并被要求发表简短的演讲并与研究人员进行对话，在此期间，他们的沉默时间被观察和记录下来。所有参与者的话语都经过仔细转录和分析。此外，参与者对每句话语的 WTC 进行了自我评估，并进行了刺激回忆访谈以收集深入的定性数据。结果通常表明，当在话语之间和话语期间出现沉默时，参与者的 WTC 有所降低。然而，研究结果也揭示了沉默与 WTC 相关的复杂和多方面性质，强调了对学习者沉默进行更深入理解和细致入微考虑的必要性。这项研究强调了世贸中心和沉默之间相互作用的复杂性，表明沉默不应仅仅被视为一种负面现象，而应被视为交际过程中的一个组成部分，值得仔细分析和理解。