Abstract
This paper argues that the field of interlanguage pragmatics – the study of L2 use and development – has neglected facework strategies that are directed towards the speaker rather than the hearer. These strategies serve to present particular identities and qualities of the speaker. This is exemplified through examples from L2 learners of German at three different levels of proficiency taking part in an argumentation task and retrospective interviews with thee learners. The analysis shows that, the lower learners’ level of proficiency is, the more likely it is that the organisation of the discourse and the use of epistemic verbs such as ‘ich denke’ (I think) are oriented towards the maintenance of a ‘good L2 speaker’ face. Learners in essence play the role of a language learner rather than the role imposed on them by the argumentative task, and ‘politeness’ towards the interlocutor is not at the forefront of their mind. As a consequence, the paper suggests that interlanguage pragmatics needs to integrate perspectives which see face management as more than the mere enactment of politeness.