Bilingual negotiation via e-mail: an international project

Abstract

This article examines selective results of an international e-mail project between 24 students studying law with German (in England) and English (in Germany).1 It refers to outcomes as manifested in the students' written reports and oral assessments, but concentrates on samples of bilingual negotiation between partners as expressed in their e-mails. The article focuses on the design of the project and the socio-cultural environment in which it is situated. Taking into account the relevant research in computer-mediated communication, the design of the project follows two primary objectives: the acquisition of (1) language and (2) content as part of a task-based e-mail exchange