The road of second language discovery

Abstract The point of departure for this position paper is that social interaction is the primordial scene of human social life ( Schegloff, 1987 ). It follows from this observation that it is also the primary setting for learning a second language (L2), which implies that studying the complexities of L2 learning necessitates an understanding of social interaction on its own terms with methodological rigour ( Pekarek Doehler & Eskildsen, 2022 ). Drawing on conversation analysis and usage-based models of language, I examine the local-social worlds of L2 speakers’ daily lives and map out their L2 learning processes and practices. This article reports on findings from one L2 speaker, and one conclusion that emerges is that the interactional histories she co-constructs and shares with her friends are crucial to understanding the history of her learning — what I will describe as her road of L2 discovery. My data come from recordings of L2 Danish students’ real-life social activities with friends and service encounters with strangers.