The purpose of the paper is to suggest an effective way to teach multi-word units (MWUs) through movies. Boers and Lindstromberg (2009) mention that it is hard for EFL learners to learn MWUs without the help of their teachers. In this study, the utterances of the four protagonists in the American magic caper thriller Now you see me 2 – Walter, Dylan, Jack, and Thaddeus – are analyzed pragmatically in terms of the types of MWUs used. Walter used situation-bound utterances, fillers, and functional expressions in expressing his ambition and pride. Dylan used simple discourse devices such as free combinations with slots for open class items to arouse his audience. Jack used phrasal verbs and fixed expressions to attract his audience.
Finally, Thaddeus ended the finale with weighty MWUs such as proverbs, idioms, and sayings. It can be seen that each character completed their mission using different types of MWUs. Now EFL learners can enjoy the whole story of the movie with the help of MWUs better than without them. They focus on the movie and learn MWUs incidentally. From this analysis it can be said that students learn the functions as well as the forms of MWUs. |