Dracula, the Vampire Lestat and TESOL

Knowing a language involves three aspects: grammar and words, perspective taking (through the use of rhythm and intonation), and the manipulation of socially significant variation in the language to demarcate various socioculturally defined identities. Work in linguistics, until fairly recently, has overstressed the first of these, to the detriment of the latter two, which are often weakest in the case of second language acquisition. This article discusses the bearing this view of language has on second language development, particularly in relation to the often drawn contrast between acquisition/incidental learning, on the one hand, and overt learning/intentional learning, on the other. A discussion of implications for language teaching argues for the intimate relationship between language teaching and enculturation, a view that follows from serious consideration of perspective taking and the control of socially significant variation.