The Importance Of Tolerance In L2 Communication

According to MacIntyre and Doucette report (2010) “willingness to communicate could be perceived as a readiness to speak in the L2 at a particular time with a specific person, and as such, is the final psychological step to the initiation of L2 communication”. Willingness to communicate is the most basic orientation towards the communication. Almost anyone is likely to respond to a direct question, but many would not continue or initiate interaction. McCroskey and Baer (1985) defined willingness to communicate as a stable tendency towards the communication, given the choice. WTC is considered to be of paramount importance to the realm of language teaching, due to its realization as the final intention to the initiation of the communication.

Such tolerance could be translated into the language learning context as an ability to deal with ambiguous new stimuli without frustration or without appeals to authority. It allows for indeterminate rather than rigid categorization (Ellis, 1994: p.518). In this sense, then students with AT, are expecing to feel comfortable with learning a new language with its uncertainties and unknown structural and cultural norms to be dealt with. McLain (1993), for instance, reported that students with tolerance of ambiguity are more willing to take risks and open to change (Rubin, 1975; Stern, 1975; Naiman, Frohlich, Stern & Todeso, 1978) and show endurance on tasks and higher levels of achievement (Chapelle, 1983; Naiman, Todeso, and Florich, 1975). Similarly, White (1999) viewed AT as a reaction to uncertainties whereby ambiguity is accommodated so that it does not impede progress. Our level of AT might also affect the use of certain language learning strategies. Ehrman and Oxford (1990) founded that learners with intuitive type of personalities who have relatively higher levels of AT reported that they often guessed from context while sensing type of personalities with lower AT reported that they disliked having to guess from context. In addition, learners, who are called judgers, reported not using compensation strategies like the sensing type of students due to their discomfort with ambiguity,

As important as the ability to communicate in the L2 is the willingness to use the L2 or, what was identified in the literature as (WTC). Language is best learned when situated in, and based on, real-life experiences. In this sense, then students with AT, are expected to feel comfortable with learning a new language with its uncertainties and unknown structural and cultural norms to be dealt with. McLain (1993), for instance, reported that students with tolerance of ambiguity are more willing to take risks and open to change (Rubin, 1975; Stern, 1975; Naiman, Frohlich, Stern & Todeso, 1978) and showed endurance on tasks and higher levels of achievement (Chapelle, 1983; Naiman, Todeso, and Florich, 1975). The purpose of the current study is to determine the relationship between Iranian EFL learner 's tolerance of ambiguity and their willingness to communicate. Findings of the current study will provide EFL researchers and teachers with better understandings of which level of the tolerance of ambiguity is needed for better understanding of the second